'Article 15' screening resumes in Kanpur

The screening of Bollywood film 'Article 15', which was stopped by fringe groups here on Friday, have resumed, police said on Sunday.

The screening of the movie, which is based on the Badaun gang-rape incident in Uttar Pradesh and deals with caste discrimination, has started from Saturday at every cinema hall and multiplexes, said Superintendent of Police (West), Sanjiv Suman.

Exhibitors had suspended the screening of the Ayushman Khurrana starrer after various Brahmin organisations protested outside theatres, raised slogans against the actors and the producer, and tore off film posters, the police had said.

Directives have been issued to provide adequate police force at every theatre to ensure the peaceful screening of the film, Circle Officer (Babu Purwa) Manoj Gupta said.

However, the screening of the film was put on hold at the Sapna cinema hall at Mall Road.

District police chief Anant Deo has asked his subordinates to take strict action if anyone try to disrupt the screening of the film.

The general secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Ekta Parishad, Hari Tripathi, claimed that the makers of the film had portrayed the community as a "cruel and an aggressive group who oppresses the Dalit community".

Tripathi threatened to intensify the protests if the screening of the film was not stopped from next Sunday.