Vidhu Vinod Chopra returns the director's chair after a gap of five years with Shikara. His last film as a director was his debut Hollywood venture, Broken Horses in 2015, which was a remake of his own cult thriller, Parinda. Before that, his last Hindi film, Eklavya - The Royal Guard, was in 2007, and had starred Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan and Boman Irani. For Shikara, Chopra, who has also chosen to produce and edit the movie, has roped in newcomers Aadil Khan and Sadia in the lead roles. Malang Vs Shikara Box Office Collection Day 1: The Romantic Thriller Sees 20% Occupancy While Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Film Starts On A Dull Note.
Shikara has been courting controversy from the day the makers dropped the first trailer. The movie deals with the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, one of the most tragic moments in Indian history last century. With the state presently under the lockdown, after the abrogation of Article 370 by the BJP-led government, there is a huge debate over the film's release. Still, Shikara grabbed our attention for being, 'The Untold Story of Kashmiri Pandits'.
Well, that's what the tagline of the film claims. At least, in the initial days.
But now there is a change. Perhaps, fearing that the movie is getting the wrong kind of attention, the makers have changed the tagline to ' A Timeless Love Story in the Worst of Times', which is visible in the new promos and the posters. Shikara Movie Review: Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Exploration of Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits Is Affecting in Parts.
Fans were quick to point out this change, and wonder what triggered this change in focus from 'untold story' to 'love story'. Check out the Twitter reactions below:
Tweet #1
Lost my father
Lost my mother
Lost my brother
Lost my sister
Lost my identity
Lost our childhood.
Lost my home
Lost my temple
Lost my dream
Lost my sleep
PAIN OF A KASHMIRI HINDU don't use our pain for your cheap Publicity#Shikara
Pic1: Before pic2: Today pic.twitter.com/ijib3JR3y7
— शाही स्मैश (@shahismash) February 7, 2020
Tweet #2
इतने दिन से सोच रहा था कि भाई @VVCFilms कैसे कश्मीरी पंडितो के साथ हुये अन्याय को ईमानदारी से बता रहा है और अंत में रिलीज के एक दिन पहले इन्होंने हग ही दिया। कितने बेगेरत लोग हैं।#Shikara pic.twitter.com/ssfl7AJ0TO
— अभिव्यक्ति (@vivekyadav05) February 7, 2020
Tweet #3
What happened to the tagline? It's suddenly a timeless love story and not the untold story of #KashmiriPandits? #shikara pic.twitter.com/cfxjtPunv6
— Prerna Lidhoo (@PLidhoo) February 7, 2020
Tweet #4
Why 'The untold story of Kashmiri Pandits' tagline removed??
A classics case of deception n cheating??
#Shikara pic.twitter.com/YqBi4VqbHO
— Bharat (@Bharat_1008_) February 7, 2020
Tweet #5
Two of my friends watched #Shikara. They said it is another crime whitewash done by bollytards
Producer said #KashmiriPandits
Genocide was disagreement between 2 friends
See how the fakers changed movie tagline👇🏼
Don't waste $#ShikaraFlop#Shikarareview#ShikaraMovieReview pic.twitter.com/wIIxZ0PU19
— Arun Pudur (@arunpudur) February 7, 2020
Tweet #6
The tagline changes from 'The Untold Story of Kashmiri Pandits' to 'A Timeless Love Story'.
Diluting the Genocide is akin to conducting another Genocide. And, this time the guilty is VVC & the entire team of Shikara. Kashmiri Hindus disown & reject this propaganda movie! pic.twitter.com/ip6XAuKvfL
— The Hindu Activist #India4Kashmir (@RohitInExile) February 7, 2020
Well, the makers are still using the posters with the old tagline to promote the film. As for the movie itself, Shikara actually lives up to the new tagline - it works better as a love story, than being a story no one has told before about Kashmiri Pandits.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2020 07:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).