Catholics want release of 'pornographic' priest film blocked

The Catholic community has demanded the withdrawal of Vinod Pande's film Sins.

Catholics want the movie due to be released on February 25 withdrawn so that Pande can take another look at it.

Community leaders have criticised Pande for using religion to make a film that is close to "pornography", as Dolphy D'Souza, President, Bombay Catholic Sabha, put it during a press conference yesterday.

"We condemn the attempts made by Pande to sensationalise the so-called sexual escapades of an ordained priest and portray him as a person of loose moral character," he said.

"This has hurt the religious sentiments of Christians as there appears to be a fine dividing line between pornography, truth and fiction."

Catholics plan to hold a protest at Churchgate station tomorrow.

The film's story revolves around a Catholic priest William in a church in coastal Kerala who tries to help a young girl half his age, but in the process the two have a clandestine affair.

D'Souza said that Christians were equally aghast and found it offensive that the cross and rosary religious symbols held sacred were freely shown in the film "especially in the sex scenes".

Although he or others have not seen the film, their judgment is based on advertisements and promotions in the media. The film is so controversial that even TV channels refused to carry promos of the "steamy sex scenes", says D'Souza.

"Sex films have bombed at the theatres and that is why this director has taken this storyline to draw film-goers."

Other Christian leaders such as George Abraham wondered if a film-maker would take such liberties or dare to show a priest from other religions in the same way as this one has done in the portrayal of a Christian priest.

"What we are saying is, don't push us around. We are a small and peaceful community that has been involved in nation building through our educational institutions, hospitals and other charitable work."

Christians are hurt by the constant verbal and physical attacks on the community, he says. "There have been 20 attacks on Christians in the last few days," he adds.

The United Progressive Alliance government claims to protect the rights of minorities and therefore the community, through the All India Catholic Union in Delhi, has sent a letter to Jaipal Reddy, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, to ensure the film is withdrawn.

But Christians are in no mood for cosmetic changes and the storyline has to change, says D'Souza. They have also appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil to intervene and stop the screening of the film.

The Catholic Sabha was also critical of the Censor Board which did not seem to be sensitive enough to see what could hurt the religious sentiments of citizens.

"We are shocked as to how the Censor Board deemed it fit to release this movie under an 'A' certificate."