Just when the nation is grappling with the death of a man killed by an angry mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri district for allegedly ‘consuming beef’, another incident of religious intolerance has come to light.
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India wrote to the Union home ministry, seeking a ban on a Mumbai play, titled Agnes of God, alleging that it hurts their religious sentiments. Joseph Dias, the man incharge of the Catholic Secular Forum, also declared his intention of getting the play stopped. In the past, he is known to have expressed outrage on behalf of the city’s Catholics on controversies surrounding the Tom Hanks starrer Da Vinci Code and Ekta Kapoor’s Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum. Dias is of the opinion that this play commodifies the lives of nuns for ticket sales, which is extremely offensive.
Agnes of God is based on a real-life incident in New York, that tells the story of a novice nun called Agnes who gives birth, then insists the child is the result of immaculate conception. The play further shows a brawl between a psychiatrist called Martha, the nun and her convent’s Mother Superior, who later discovers that she slept with a man, contrary to the nun’s claims. Agnes is finally deemed to be of unsound mind, after the case moves to court.
Ironically, the play was performed at Sophia Auditorium and other places more than two decades ago in Mumbai and was very successful. The director of Agnes of God, Kaizad Kotwal, says he fears for his life.
Reports suggest that the Archbishop of Mumbai strongly protested against the portrayal of the nun in the posters, but they are not in favour of a ban.
The play was scheduled for October 4 in Mumbai’s Sophia Bhabha Auditorium and later in Hyderabad and Kerala. Despite a booking done more than four months ago, the show was suddenly cancelled in Mumbai last Monday.
Popular film and stage actor Denzil Smith spoke strongly against the Catholic Secular Forum saying,
This is atrocious! People like Mr Joseph Dias of the Catholic Secular Forum, are extremist elements who should not be encouraged. Censorship of any scene from the play is unwarranted. This is the doing of publicity hungry, right wing extremists.
– Denzil Smith, Film and theatre actor
The religious group’s demand for ban has stirred up some strong reactions on social media.
This is a hue and cry for nothing, really. Have the ones seeking a ban even read the script? Do they know that the play is based on a true story? I’m simply alarmed. I mean if their religion is so fragile, that it would feel threatened by a play, then they must really think about what they’re upholding. This, in my opinion is nothing more than a publicity stunt. My mother is a Christian, so believe me, I know that no religious sentiments are being hurt. Are they going to ban walking in front of churches, temples and mosques next?
– Hidayat Sami, Theatre Actor
The demand for banning the play comes at a time when there is increasing discomfort and protests against the “ban culture” following demands for banning beef and cow slaughter on ground of religious sentiments.
The original play, the title of which is a take on Agnus dei (Latin for Lamb of God), was also adapted into a movie in 1985 with Jane Fonda as the young nun Agnes.
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