Being sidelined for questioning, says Prakash Raj

Multi-lingual actor Prakash Raj on Sunday said that efforts were on to sideline him for questioning and speaking out the truth openly.

"Weren't Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan sidelined? Wasn't Aamir Khan removed from being an ambassador? Weren't some of his commercials stopped," he asked in an interaction with the media at Press Club of Bangalore.

"Even my commercials are being stopped. I don't name those behind such efforts as firms and products are involved. Those who've questioned have been sidelined," he said.

The actor opposed the move to form a separate censor board before the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming movie Padmavati.

"You represent your opposition before the censor board. There are protests despite Bhansali's statements that the film doesn't have a love song between Rani Padmavati and Alauddin Khilji. Certain people attacked Bhansali and sets were destroyed, but nobody has been arrested yet, he said.

Raj revealed how governments misused democratic institutions like the censor board.

"Two years ago, I was contacted as my film was in the race for a national award. I was told to send two jury from Karnataka on the condition that those two shouldn't be Communists. Why should the national anthem be played only inside theatres? What will you do if it's played on TV before the start of a movie," he asked.

Regarding dubbing he said:"No group has a right to decide the choice of an audience to watch any programme or movie of his choice."

There are plans to ban BookMyShow, an aggregator service for the entertainment industry, in Tamil Nadu as it has affected producers and audience.