Pune, February 11: Actor-filmmaker Amol Palekar and his wife Sandhya Gokhale on Sunday slammed Anita Rupavataram, director of the Mumbai centre of the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). During a press conference in Pune Palekar told reporters, “We were told by the curator after my speech was interrupted that she was told by the director that I would not be permitted to make any antigovernment statements. It was clear that the director was under pressure.” Ayushmann Khurrana to Step in Amol Palekar's Shoes for Chhoti Si Baat Remake?

Palekar and Sandhya during the press briefing without naming any political outfit said that free speech was being censored in different ways and forms. The couple further added that there was an intolerance to anti-establishment views in the country. Palekar also told reporters he was only trying to seek reasons behind the cancellation of retrospectives of two senior artists. Retrospective is an exhibition or compilation showing the development of an artist's work over a period of time.

On Friday, the veteran actor was repeatedly interrupted during his speech by some members of the NGMA in Mumbai. Palekar was speaking at the opening of an exhibition "Inside The Empty Box" in the memory of artist Prabhakar Barwe. A video available on social media showed Palekar criticising the Ministry of Culture for reportedly scrapping the advisory committees at the gallery's Mumbai and Bengaluru centres. He was interrupted again and again during his speech. However, Palekar continued his speech.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 11, 2019 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).