Superstar Rajinikanth’s 2.0 In Trouble; India’s Powerful Telecom Lobby Wants A Ban On 2.0

 

Director S. Shankar’s 2.0 has been released all over the world today, and is receiving some stunning reviews. Starring Superstar Rajinikanth and Bollywood celebrity Akshay Kumar, 2.0 has been produced with a lavish budget of Rs 550 crore, which makes it as India’s most expensive movie ever.

But COAI, which is India’s most powerful telecom lobby, wants a ban on this movie.

Why would a telecom lobby ask for banning a movie? Keep reading to find out!

COAI: Ban Superstar Rajinikanth’s 2.0

COAI or The Cellular Association of India, which comprises of all telecom operators in India, has approached the Govt. of India, and asked them to ban 2.0, which released to raving reviews today.

The request has been sent to Central Board of Film Certification and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, seeking “recall and revocation” of the certification of this movie, and banning it till the time CBFC and the Central Government reach a conclusion.

But Why Ban On 2.0?

As per COAI, the movie projects mobile phones as evil, which can impact the revenues and branding of telecom operators.

In the movie, a villain is created entirely out of mobile phones, telecom towers which wants to destroy the world.

As per COAI, not only mobiles and smartphones, but entire telecom industry is shown in a bad light, which can impact their overall business.

As per the letter sent by COAI to Govt. officials, 2.0 promotes “obscurantist and anti-scientific attitudes against mobile phones, towers and mobile services.”

COAI has made it clear that their protest and complains against the movie is based on ‘public interest’, and 2.0’s content is ‘defamatory’ to their clients, and harms their public image, and damages their ‘constitutional rights.’

The complaint alleges that the movie 2.0 falsely depicts “mobile phones and mobile towers as harmful to living creatures and the environment including birds and human beings on account of electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions from them.”

What Next?

Rajan S Mathews, Director General of COAI, has confirmed that the protest has been lodged, asking for a ban on this movie.

However, no reaction has came from S. Shankar, director of 2.0 and/or Rajinikanth and the movie’s producers, which are backed by Maran family-owned Sun Pictures.

Earlier this year, after widespread protests over Padmavati movie by Bhansali, Supreme Court had refused to ban the movie, and had asked the States to ensure that the movie’s release is not hampered.

We are awaiting more information.

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