India, Aug. 13 -- Director Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming film, Ramayana has landed in a fresh controversy after Shri Ramlila Mahasangh, a Delhi-based umbrella body of religious organisations and Ramlila committees, demanded a special screening before its release. Earlier this month, President Arjun Kumar, in a formal letter, stated that they want to review the film's scenes and dialogues to ensure they do not hurt religious sentiments, warning of protests across Delhi and other states if its demand is not met. But are such requests by an external body fair to filmmakers? Writer-director Umesh Shukla, who faced a similar situation with his film OMG: Oh My God (2012), supports the request, saying, "It is always better to take people in good faith and walk together," he says. However, director Sudipto Sen, known for The Kerala Story (2023), has a different opinion. He argues that no external organisation can decide which version of the epic is authentic. "There are about 300 different versions of Ramayana in the entire country. So, if one organisation claims it will authenticate, that is not right," he says. Sen believes that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) can call in an expert for an opinion. "Our censor board, CBFC, has a very nice system. First, the members will watch the film, and if they find anything objectionable, then they call the experts," he shares. Speaking about Shri Ramlila Mahasangh calling for protest if the demands aren't met, Sen adds, "This is the new trend now. The government and CBFC should not encourage that. More power to such kinds of organisations has different implications for it." Trade analyst Atul Mohan agrees with Sen and points out that the makers are sensible and won't repeat the same mistakes as Adipurush (2023). Ask him if such demands affect the box office? He says, "When there is a controversy, there is a curiosity generated among the audiences. As a maker, how you encash it is up to you." Akshay Rathi, trade analyst, stresses, "The only governing authority that decides what kind of content can be shown in cinema or not is the CBFC." He adds that those with objections should approach the court instead. "Unless that happens, there's no compulsion for the producers to showcase their movie to anybody," he shares....