I lost the race of who would watch the movie ‘The Da Vinci Code’ first, to Rupa. Not that it was any of my mistake, you understand!!
Apparently the movie has run into a controversy in India like in many other nations. But here, its come to the brink of being banned. If it happens so I would be disappointed, so would be a lot of people.
So what is the ‘Da Vinci Code’ all about? I haven’t read the book myself, but going by what I have read in the newspapers, it’s about the notion of Christianity’s Holy Grail being more than a chalice from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper. It’s about a premise that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and produced children, whose descendants are alive today. The Holy Grail is the metaphorical portrayal of Mary Magdalene. This is vehemently protested by parts of the Roman Catholic Church. So, the government has asked the sensor board to have a second look.
Later it was decided that the movie would be released with an ‘A’ certificate and a disclaimer that the movie is a part of fiction. To this neither the producers, Sony Pictures nor the director, Ron Howard is ready to agree.
Of all the Christianity following nations in the world, I don’t think the producers would have expected such protests from a country like us. But when it comes to religion, people get a little ‘touchy’ about things. For Christ’s sake, it’s just a goddamn movie. If it wasn’t for all this controversy, people would have just watched the movie and completely forgotten about it. Going to the extent of banning it, would only make it look like ‘The Forbidden Fruit’.
Of the 2% of the Christians living in this country, I guess not more that 5% of the 2% would have watched the movie. And I don’t think the faith of Christianity in them is so poor that watching a fictional tale would shake their beliefs. In fact, the Vatican and even Opus Dei (the targeted sect in the movie) don’t seem to have any problem with the movie. 36 countries have reviewed this film and not banned it, so are we just coming out of Stone Age?
Is Christianity a conspiracy? Is “The Da Vinci Code” a dangerous, anti-Christian hoax? What’s up with Tom Hanks’s hair (the Japanese PM loved it)? Frankly, I don’t care. Public memory is very short. After a few months nobody would even remember what the fuss was all about. In a secular country like ours, where the government has to appease everyone, the release of this movie does hang by the Damocles’ sword. Then I wouldn’t be left with any other choice than to “unlock the code” in the print version!!
1 comment:
I haven't watched the Da Vinci Code nor have I read the book. The reason is neither religious nor rational (its probably a bit banal, actually). I have read Dan Brown's previous books "Digital Fortress" and another highly Forgettable title. These I was told, were bestsellers. It was quite innovative actually. I had never seen a turkey wrapped as a book , before. Dan Brown epitomised to what counts as forms of abuse. It was badly researched, his imagination couldnt defeat a nine year old and the characters were utter rubbish.
You see, there was a precedent already. Dan Brown I declared was the Turkey of the century. I called up Bharath (those books were his) and abused him in choicest of words for wasting my time with a Damn Brown. And hey ! presto, He is the author of Da Vinci Code. What the.... ?
So there u are, I'm not reading the book for sure, and it'll take a lot of persuasion to watch the movie.
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