Documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan’s National Award-winning 1995 film Father, Son and Holy War is no longer available on YouTube, the filmmaker said on Monday.
The film has reportedly been flagged for containing violent content.
Questioning the platform’s action, Patwardhan took to Facebook and wrote, “Youtube censorship again ! “Father, Son and Holy War” is my 1995 film which got a U/A censor certificate, two national awards and the Supreme Court of India ordered Doordarshan to screen it at prime time in the public interest. Yet now 30 years later Youtube has decided that it is too “Violent”.”
“It is a documentary that records the violence caused by religious fanatics and politicians vying for power. It is an expose of violence, not an endorsement of it. Shame on Youtube !!! Remove the Censors, not good Sense,” Patwardhan noted.
Even though it has been removed from Patwardhan’s official YouTube channel anandverite, the film remains available on the channel Alukuchi Malukuchi.
Completed over seven years and filmed in two parts, the documentary explores themes of masculinity, religion, and communal violence in India.
It won two National Film Awards in 1995—Best Investigative Documentary and Best Film on Social Issues—and went on to receive the International Jury Prize at the Bombay International Film Festival in 1996.
This is not the first time Patwardhan’s films have encountered censorship hurdles and distribution challenges.
Father, Son and Holy War also went through a legal fight over its broadcast, with Patwardhan challenging Doordarshan’s refusal in 2001. The Bombay High Court sided with Patwardhan, and the Supreme Court eventually ordered its screening.
In 2019, YouTube restricted access to Patwardhan’s 1992 documentary Ram Ke Naam on age grounds, despite its CBFC ‘U’ certificate. The film, which documents the Hindu right’s movement to demolish the Babri Masjid and replace it with a temple, was made unavailable to users under 18.
“Youtube is at it again, catering to Hindutva goons who want to kill all secular content. Latest is they have put an “age restriction” on my film Ram Ke Naam which has a ‘U’ certificate from CBFC, won a National Award and was shown at prime time (9 pm) on Doordarshan after the High Court ordered its telecast in 1996. The film is 28 years old!” Patwardhan had said in a statement.