The BMC has again donned the role of the moral police, this time, prohibiting the staging of the Marathi adaptation of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues at one of its theatres, apparently for its "adult content".
Aggrieved, producer Vandana Khare has launched a campaign on a popular social networking site to garner support against the civic body for restricting her from staging Yonichya Manichya Guja Goshti at Prabodhankar K C Thackeray Hall in Borivli. Her online protest has drawn huge respons from theatre lovers who have not only backed her but also censured the BMC's moral policing.
Even earlier, the BMC had put restrictions on the staging of another play, Ek Chavat Samdhyakaal, at its theatres.
Yonichya Manichya Gujagoshti, which deals with issues related to female sexuality and the recurring theme being vagina as a tool of female empowerment, opened for the Marathi audience three years ago and since then 92 shows have been staged in Mumbai and neighbouring cities without any notable opposition. But in July, Khare received a letter from the BMC (a copy is with TOI) saying the play's adult content had not gone down well with some parents, forcing the theatre administration to come up with a restriction order. "I was stunned when I got the latter," restricting the staging my play at Thackeray auditorium,"
Khare said. "How can they randomly come up with such restrictions and without citing a valid reason? I have staged around five shows earlier at the same theatre and no one objected then." So why the fuss now?"
She added as she was new in the field, she did not wait for support from the industry. "Rather, I thought of galvanizing support on my own through Facebook," said Khare.
Reacting to her protest, while some netizens expressed their outrage over the BMC's move, many questioned the need for such a restriction after the censor board approved the play. Overwhelmed by the online response, Khare plans to write to the authority, opposing its step.
Deputy municipal commissioner Suhas Kanvinde, who is in charge of theatres, justified the step saying a library operated out of the theatre's premises used mostly by kids. Their parents objected to the play's adult content, he said.
The Thane civic body, which runs Gadkari Rangayatan, received a letter from Janajagruti Manch complaining about the staging of the play there on Thursday night. "We have allowed the producer to stage the play today (Thursday, September 13, 2012) but will ask them to ensure police protection next time as we don't want any trouble on our premises," said theatre in-charge Mahesh Rajdarkar, ahead of the show.