Catholics across the world have rallied against Elizabeth: The Golden Age. This has re-ignited the debate between creative freedom and religious sensibilities.
I have maintained that religious intolerance is on the rise and this can be very harmful to the integrated nature of our society. Hence creative people need to exhibit greater sensitivity when portraying religious subjects. Opponents of this view cite creative freedom and freedom of speech. In truth the dividing line is not only very thin but also subjective.
In India Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes has written to the Censor Board and excerpts from his letter as available in the press are reproduced here. He has written, "The movie unnecessarily targets the Catholic Church and its leaders and this is not acceptable to a community that respects other religions and other leaders. … To present Catholicism in a distorted manner is an insult to its followers, not only in India but elsewhere also."
Elizabeth: The Golden Age is a period film set in times of a clash between Catholics and Protestants. I have not seen the film and neither do I have any great knowledge of British history so I am not in a position to judge whether history has been distorted. In any event there has never been one version of history. All I would like to say is that I hope the Catholic community in India, which has raised its voice first against Da Vinci Code and now against Elizabeth: The Golden Age, speaks up for Hindus when the Hindus complain of their religion being denigrated.
