Not just Modi biopic, Election Commission also bans release of movies on NTR and KCR

The Election Commission on Wednesday announced a ban on the screening of the all the biopics during the poll period. After banning the screening of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s biopic, the Election Commission has banned two other biopics – Lakshmi's NTR and Udyam Simham.

The Election Commission in its order said the biopic of the late N T Rama Rao titled Lakshmi’s NTR, which "purported" to depict incumbent state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in a manner "allegedly diminishing the electoral prospects of his party".

In a separate order addressing the producers of 'Udyama Simham', the Election Commission said, "In view of facts and material available on record, this film being a biopic on Shri K Chandrashekar Rao, Chief Minister Telangana, and a political leader of a party which has fielded its candidates in the current general elections to the Lok Sabha cannot be exhibited in view of the Commission's aforesaid Order.Therefore, in view of the above, you are hereby directed not to exhibit the film titled 'Udyama Simham' till further order in terms of aforesaid order."

The poll body's action came after it received complaints regarding these two biopics. The poll panel pointed out that so far, it has received complaints about certain films such as 'NTR Laxmi', 'PM Narendra Modi' and 'Udyam Simham', "which are claimed to either diminish or advance the electoral prospects of a candidate or a political party in the garb of creative freedom".

"It is claimed that such creative contents are kind of surrogate publicity by the candidate or the political party during the period of model code. Though the display materials claim to be part of creative content, it is contended that these have propensity and potentiality to affect the level playing field which is not in consonance with the provisions of the model code of conduct," the EC noted.

(With inputs from PTI)