<p class="bodytext">Amid the row over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <em>Padmavati</em>, director Sudhir Mishra on Tuesday said a filmmaker's right to express is as fundamental as a person's right to protest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra said that people have a right to express their anguish with anything they might find offensive as India is a democracy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As an industry, we stand by each other defending our right to make films. And if any one has any problem with the film, they are free to express as we live in a democracy. But you can't take away my right to express as a filmmaker as well. It is as fundamental as expressing protest and that's all we are saying," Mishra said on the sidelines of IFFI Panorama Section inauguration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra said Bhansali has been a responsible person and that he will not hurt the sentiments of the people.</p>.<p>"Nobody has seen the film and I am sure Bhansali has not done anything which will hurt anyone's sentiments. I wish the film was released, as Bhansali is a very responsible mainstream filmmaker. He will not do anything to hurt the value system of masses," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We all came together for <em>Padmavati</em> because we believe whatever the film may be, it should first be seen. Tomorrow I may not like the film. But we are fighting for Bhansali just as Bhansali should fight for me. And I hope he does. My <em>Dharavi</em> was taken out in 1991 from theatres and nobody fought. I was alone and my career went back five years," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra, who headed the jury for the non-feature film category of the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India 2017, said the festival was a place of pilgrimage to him as he started his career from IFFI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are here to celebrate cinema. IFFI is the platform where I started my journey as a filmmaker. I was born as a filmmaker here. IFFI is responsible for who I am and it is kind of a pilgrimage for me. And I will come here whatever the problem is, because I think the youth deserve this," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also defended the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Prasoon Joshi who had slammed the makers for allowing the film to be screened for various media channels before certification.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Prasoon Joshi has not taken anything personally. It is his position. He is the chairman of the CBFC and he is speaking on behalf of the CBFC," Mishra said.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Amid the row over Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <em>Padmavati</em>, director Sudhir Mishra on Tuesday said a filmmaker's right to express is as fundamental as a person's right to protest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra said that people have a right to express their anguish with anything they might find offensive as India is a democracy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"As an industry, we stand by each other defending our right to make films. And if any one has any problem with the film, they are free to express as we live in a democracy. But you can't take away my right to express as a filmmaker as well. It is as fundamental as expressing protest and that's all we are saying," Mishra said on the sidelines of IFFI Panorama Section inauguration.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra said Bhansali has been a responsible person and that he will not hurt the sentiments of the people.</p>.<p>"Nobody has seen the film and I am sure Bhansali has not done anything which will hurt anyone's sentiments. I wish the film was released, as Bhansali is a very responsible mainstream filmmaker. He will not do anything to hurt the value system of masses," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We all came together for <em>Padmavati</em> because we believe whatever the film may be, it should first be seen. Tomorrow I may not like the film. But we are fighting for Bhansali just as Bhansali should fight for me. And I hope he does. My <em>Dharavi</em> was taken out in 1991 from theatres and nobody fought. I was alone and my career went back five years," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mishra, who headed the jury for the non-feature film category of the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India 2017, said the festival was a place of pilgrimage to him as he started his career from IFFI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We are here to celebrate cinema. IFFI is the platform where I started my journey as a filmmaker. I was born as a filmmaker here. IFFI is responsible for who I am and it is kind of a pilgrimage for me. And I will come here whatever the problem is, because I think the youth deserve this," Mishra said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also defended the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Prasoon Joshi who had slammed the makers for allowing the film to be screened for various media channels before certification.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Prasoon Joshi has not taken anything personally. It is his position. He is the chairman of the CBFC and he is speaking on behalf of the CBFC," Mishra said.</p>