CR Entertainment and O Wow, the company that made Uttam Jaju's film, said, 'The 60 Second International Film Festival confirmed that our movie was selected for screening on March 3. But by then, the situation changed completely. Taking part in the festival in face of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism was out of question. So, we decided to withdraw. For us, India comes first.'
New Delhi: In an act to mark solidarity with CRPF jawans killed in action in Pulwama, a young Surat-based short filmmaker, whose 60-second film was selected for Pakistan's 60 Second International Film Festival (60SIFF), has withdrawn his film from the festival.
The film based on the Clean India campaign and shot on a mobile phone device impressed the screening committee. But Uttam Jaju, the scriptwriter of the movie, chose to stand with his country after at least 40 CRPF jawans were massacred by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.
The movie on India's cleanliness drive was directed by Shubham Apurva. The movie was selected for the Pakistan-based short film festival on February 11 just three days before Pakistan-sponsored terror hit India's braves. It was one of the worst attacks on Indian security forces in independent India that drew massive international condemnation for Pakistan from where Jaish operates.
Avenging the Pulwama attack, India hit deep inside Pakistan on February 21. A Jaish terror camp in Balakot of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was hit by Indian Air Force, following which there was an attempt by Pakistan to counter it. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s MiG-21 Bison, while challenging a Pakistani F-16 that had violated the Indian airspace, was hit, falling in PoK. The IAF pilot captured and subsequently released by Pakistan under huge diplomatic pressure. In the fierce face off, some Indian Army soldiers suffered injuries even as reports of Pakistan Army casualty from across the LoC trickled in. In these charged circumstances, the young filmmaker chose to shelve his aspirations, choosing the nation over his career.
In a statement issued by CR Entertainment and O Wow, the company that made the short film, said, "We are Indians and nationalism is our strength. We will not go to Pakistan, at any cost."
Speaking to MyNation, Jaju said, "We had our movie registered on February 11. The 60 Second International Film Festival confirmed that our movie was selected for screening on March 3. But by then, the situation changed completely. Taking part in the festival in face of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism was out of question. So, we decided to withdraw. For us, India comes first."
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