POCSO Case Registered Against Mahesh Manjrekar For Objectionable Portrayal Of Women & Children

A POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case has been registered against actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar at the Mahim Police Station. It must be noted that Mahesh’s latest Marathi film Nay Varan Bhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha has courted a lot of controversy for its alleged portrayal of women and children in an objectionable manner. Many organisations and NGOs had taken the legal route demanding action against the filmmaker.

News agency ANI tweeted, “Case registered against actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar under IPC Section 292, 34, POCSO Section 14 and IT Section 67, 67B, for allegedly showing obscene scenes involving minor children in a Marathi film; court orders probe in the matter: Mahim Police, Maharashtra.” (sic)

Case registered against actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar under IPC Section 292, 34, POCSO Section 14 and IT Section 67, 67B, for allegedly showing obscene scenes involving minor children in a Marathi film; court orders probe in the matter: Mahim Police, Maharashtra

(file pic) pic.twitter.com/QZ56GH99y7

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2022

Earlier on January 27, the Kshatriya Maratha Seva Sanstha had also filed a complaint in the Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate Court against Mahesh Manjrekar. The organisation had demanded action against the filmmaker under sections 292 (sale etc of obscene content), 295 (punishment for obscene acts or words in public), 34 (common intention) of the IPC and Indecent Representation of the Women Prohibition Act.

Meanwhile, Mahesh recently commented on the matter in the media and said that his film has been censored by the authorities. Mahesh added, “And we have a strict board, so if they didn’t find anything objectionable... It is an adult film. It is dark, so you need to watch it that way. So, I’m at a loss to answer your question." He further shared, “What can one do? One can only do their work and make movies. Everyone has the right to object, so I’m okay with that.”

On being quizzed if his film is showcasing women in bad light, the filmmaker said, “I’ve never tried (to sensationalise). I’ve never done that all my life. I’ve made more than 25 films, why should I feel the necessity (for it) now. This is a story that I liked years back. It’s written by a journalist and I felt it should be made into a film.”