After censors, Indian filmmaker finds new battle with tax man
An Indian filmmaker has locked horns with the country’s tax office over a film about gay people.
Kiran Kumar Devmani knew he would have a difficult job getting his film about homosexuality out in India, where gay sex is illegal.
However, despite censors warning that the finished project could provoke a law and order issue, the tax man was the least of Devmani’s worries.
But the government in Gujarat said it could not grant the application for tax exemption for the film, as is commonplace for such projects.
The government said doing so could create a “negative signal” that it endorses “such ideology”.
The worst thing? Devmani’s film doesn’t contain anything close to gay sex.
Male characters do not even hold hands in the film.
“My film does not have a single scene where gay men are shown even holding hands. The film is basically about the struggles of homosexual men in society in different stages of life,” the 30-year-old told AFP.
Filmmakers are usually granted tax exemption for their projects before release, in order to ensure they don’t lose money.
Devmani says he plans to release the film ‘Meghdhanushya – The Colour of Life’, without tax exemption.
“I will wait for the next six months and then release the film even if the exemption is not granted,” he said.
Check out a promo for the film below:
