FILM'S PROMOS TOO STEAMY FOR TELEVISION
Music channels refuse to air clips of Rs 1-crore film
'Sins' is the story -- based on a true incident, says the director -- of a Christian priest from Kerala who has an affair with a girl half his age.
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE * Indian Express Mumbai Newsline * Feb 18, 2005
He starts off as her benefactor but develops sexual feelings for her. Soon, they embark on a clandestine affair. But there's a hitch: William is a priest in a church in coastal Kerala. And his lover Rosemary is half his age.
Is that the ultimate sin? Director Vinod Pande seems to think so as this is the storyline of his latest English film, Sins.
Pande didn't see it fit to take permission of Christian bodies. "I am entitled to make a film on any subject. Anyway, this is a fictional reconstruction and is not targeted at any one particular person," he says.
But the Church is not amused. Father Pravin Fernandes, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Bombay and co-ordinator Catholic Communication Centre, told Newsline: "Though we haven't seen the film, we strongly object to the content that deals with the details of the sexual life of a Catholic priest. We want the film to be withdrawn and are gathering all relevant information to stall its release."
Pande, who has previously helmed the Deepti Naval-starrer 'Ek Baar Phil' and the Kumar Gaurav film 'Star', says he was inspired by a real-life 1988 incident in Kerala.
"I read about it then and researched it thoroughly. This kind of film requires special handling and I wanted to do full justice. That's why I didn't hurry into making the film," he adds.
Incidentally, the promos of 'Sins' were too steamy for television channels to handle -- theyrefused to air them.
An angry Pande says: "I can't understand this double standard of music channels. They show such blatant obscenity and suggestive sexual content all the time."
He says the intimate scenes in 'Sins' are something the Indian audience has not seen before. "I am very proud of these scenes and would like to be judged on the meter of aesthetics," adds Pande.
Delhi-based model Shiny Ahuja, who plays William, says, "There are scenes of kissing and love-making, pretty much like any other English film. As for nudity, well you have to remove clothes to make love," adds the 26-year-old who will be seen as Sudhir Mishra's stalled 'Hazaro Khwahishen Aisi'.
'Sins' has got an A certificate by the Censor board.
Pande says his film is about a crime of passion in the genre of 'Fatal Attraction'. Made on a modest budget of just over Rs 1 crore, 'Sins' is being distributed by Yash Raj Films.
