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Following the recent passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a public disagreement has emerged between actor Anupam Kher and filmmaker Hansal Mehta regarding their 2019 film, "The Accidental Prime Minister."
The controversy began when journalist Vir Sanghvi criticized the film on social media, describing it as "one of the worst Hindi movies ever made" and accusing it of spreading falsehoods about Singh. Sanghvi's post stated: "If you want to remember the lies that were told about Manmohan Singh you should rewatch 'The Accidental Prime Minister'. It is not only one of the worst Hindi movies ever made but is an example of how media was used to tarnish the name of a good man."
Hansal Mehta, who served as the creative director for the film, endorsed Sanghvi's critique by responding with "+100." This endorsement drew a sharp response from Anupam Kher, who portrayed Manmohan Singh in the film. Kher labeled Mehta a "hypocrite" and emphasized that Mehta had been professionally involved in the project. Kher remarked, "You were there for 35 days, you are professionally paid for it and then whether the ship sinks or doesn't sink, you cannot abandon the ship. You own up your work."
In response, Mehta expressed that acknowledging one's mistakes is a personal prerogative and highlighted the importance of self-reflection. He stated, "I own up to my mistakes as much as I do any other choices I’ve made in my life. But to self-reflect, to introspect and to admit in hindsight that I’ve erred is my prerogative."
"The Accidental Prime Minister" is a political drama based on the memoir of Sanjaya Baru, Manmohan Singh's former media advisor. The film depicts Singh's tenure as Prime Minister and explores the dynamics within the Congress party during his administration. Upon its release, the film faced criticism and was accused of being a propaganda piece.
For a more in-depth understanding of the current debate, you may find the following video informative:
