New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration had granted permission for filming of a web series on the ‘Emergency period in India’ inside its campus. However, the university’s students union (JNUSU) disrupted shooting of the web series on Saturday.
Members of JNUSU objected to the shooting of web series at the administration block, saying that it amounted to “commercialisation” of university space, reported PTI.
They demanded to know why the authorities had given permission to shoot at the administration block when students are barred from protesting at the site.
The students’ body also sought details of the university’s monetary transactions with the makers of web series.
A team of 500 crew members have set up base in the JNU for the last few to shoot the web series on Emergency in India.
“The JNUSU has illegally obstructed and also tried to force film director Sudhir Mishra out of the JNU campus. The film director has taken due permission from the JNU authority to shoot a web series on the emergency period in India,” a JNU official said.
Talking of the incident, Amar, production manager of the web series, said that a large group of students assembled and started disrupting shooting.
“They also heckled the director Sudhir Mishra and hurled abusive words against our team. We were forced to stop the shooting,” he said.
Explaining their stand, JNUSU president Dhananjay said, “We are not against the web series or its team. But we won’t allow any kind of commercialisation to take place on campus.”
The students body urged the administration to return the money it had taken for allowing the shooting.
JNUSU had earlier expressed its objection formally to the administration.
“We have come to know that a shooting of a film by Sudhir Mishra is happening at the administration block. It is appalling to know that it is the same place where students aren’t allowed to gather for raising their rightful demands. We have been opposed to the commercialisation of our university space. This is a public university and this space should not be used for any kind of commercial purpose,” read an email written to JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit.
