Jr NTR wears 'tricolour' on his boots
Hyderabad: Wearing his patriotism on his boots instead of his sleeve has landed Jr NTR in a tight spot on the eve of the release of his new film 'Shakti'. In the publicity material for the film, Jr NTR's pictures have appeared with him wearing shoes with the tricolour on them. The photograph was published on the cover of Santosham - a Telugu film magazine in its latest issue. Hoisting and using (including misuse and insult) of the national flag is regulated by the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and the Flag Code of India, 2002.
The use of the national flag even in costumes by Indian designers generated controversy in the past but now a popular film actor wearing shoes with the tricolours has attracted attention. 'Shakti', released on Friday, is said to have been made with a budget of Rs 40 crore by producer C Aswani Dutt.
According to the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Act, 2003, 'whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, disfigures, tramples upon or otherwise shows disrespect to or bringing into contempt (whether by words, either spoken or written, or by acts) the Indian National Flag, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend up to three years or with fine or both. The Act explains that disrespect to the Indian National Flag will include using the flag as a portion of a costume or unifrom or any description or embroidering or printing it on cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins or any dress material.
With Jr NTR's shoes with the tricolour generating a controversy, Suresh Kondeti who brings out the magazine on which the photograph was printed said the magazine had only used a still that was printed as an advertisement for the film.
'It was an exclusive publicity still that was handed over to the magazine by the film production house. It should be observed that there is red colour and not orange in what is supposedly the tricolour. There is no Ashoka Chakra also in it,' Suresh Kodeti said. It may be mentioned here that actors sometimes do a separate photo shoot for publicity stills and the particular gear may or may not be there in the movie.
News Posted: 1 April, 2011
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