Hindu outfit now wants names of Bengali film characters 'Rama' and 'Sita' changed

After release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Padmavati was stalled over objectionable scenes, a Hindu outfit on Friday held a demonstration outside the local CBFC office here seeking changes in the names of characters in a Bengali film.

"Rong Beronger Kori" directed by Ranjan Ghosh has two of its characters named after Hindu mythological  icons  Rama and Sita, which has irked the leaders of the fringe group - Hindu Jagran Manch.

Activists of the Manch protested outside the   Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) office and submitted a memorandum seeking changes in the names of the characters.

"Naming characters in a film after Rama and Sita hurts the sentiments of Hindus. The director should have taken this factor into consideration. Why not name the characters as Mariam and Joseph or something else?   We have also written to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani seeking her intervention. The CBFC  must meet our demand before clearing the film for release," said Vivek Singh, spokesman of the outfit.

Director Ranjan Ghosh is, however, unfazed   and refused to make any changes.

"My film is about the relationship of two tribal adults and is a collection of four different stories. Naming people after mythological characters is a very common practice in most parts of India, including West Bengal. Rama, Krishna, Sita, Saraswati and Lakshman are popular and common names here. Why should I change the names of my characters? It is a director's freedom, which cannot be curtailed just because some outfit is making wild claims," Ghosh said.

CBFC mum

CBFC officials refused comment.

In Padmavati's case, members of another fringe outfit,  Rajasthan-based Rajut Karni Sena, had threatened to chop off actress Deepika Padukone's nose if the film was released without deleting the "objectionable" scenes.

In a videoc clip, Karni Sena member Mahipal Singh Makrana had claimed Rajputs never raise their hand against a woman but would do to Deepika what Lakshman did to Shurpanakha.