Producer of Hardik’s biopic claims – Robert Vadra’s close associates want to buy the censor stalled film to make it viral

Surat

The producer of controversial biopic on PAAS leader Hardik Patel “Power of Patidar- the one man army”, Deepak Soni today claimed that two people close to the son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Robert Vadra were interested in buying his yet to be released movie, which was not cleared by the censor board, on the condition to make it viral on social media via Hardik himself.

Surat based Soni who had produced the film under the banner of Kesar Bhavani Productions, had earlier this year written a letter to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi seeking his help in getting the film released.

Soni today said that two of Vadra’s close associates London based Raja Reddy and Jagdish Sharma wanted to buy his film. ‘I had met Raja in April this year in Delhi and he had told me to wait. For the past one week we are again in touch. He has offered me to buy the film which has been denied release by censor in the name of violent content and it being detrimental to peace in the society. But Reddy also wants me to arrange it to be made viral through Hardik on social media. I am seeking legal advise as to whether the film without censor’s nod can be posted on social media or not, especially when the assembly elections were around the corner. I am also looking at other aspects before moving further because I don’t want to invite any more trouble. We have already challenged the censor’s decision in Gujarat High Court which was still pending,’ he said.

The film in which actor Raza Murad has reportedly played the role of a senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela and Jay Shree T, the role of then CM Anandiben Patel, has not yet got clearance from the Central Board for Film Certification (popularly known as censor board) owing to said technical issues and objection over some scenece. Small time actor Sanjay Dev has played Hardik in the film directed by Mahesh Patel.
Soni in his letter to Rahul earlier had reportedly alleged that the censor board was not letting the film released at government’s behest of sorts. The producer had reportedly said that the BJP government in the state was fearful of defeat in this year’s assembly election if the movie was released.

Notably the censor board last year did not also allow the release of another Gujarati movie Salagto Sawaal Anamat, also based on Patel quota agitation as it had found issues with the film’s dialogues which, according to it were against B R Ambedkar, the architect of Indian Constitution.

Earlier last year Soni had written a letter to Gujarat government inviting the then Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and others to see the film which in his words was not at all controversial.

The movie which also reportedly includes the love story of Hardik with a said non-Patidar character was shot in Surat, Mehsana, Amreli and other different places across the state, including the house of Hardik while he was jailed in Lajpore central prison here after the violent Patidar quota stir. It was shot in just around 2 months.

Soni has also said that he has invested all his savings for the film which if not released would cause him huge financial blow. He had claimed that he had written to Rahul as he was a prominent leader of opposition who could put pressure over the government and the censor board for release of his movie.

Desh Gujarat