The Nationwide United Christian Discussion board (NUCF), a joint platform of India’s three largest Christian our bodies representing the Church in India, has strongly condemned the discharge of ‘Sanatani – Karma hello Dharma’, an Odia movie that opened in theatres on February 7, 2025, amid rising controversy over its portrayal of non secular conversion in Odisha.
In a strongly worded press launch, the NUCF, which brings collectively the Catholic Bishop’s Convention of India (CBCI), Nationwide Council of Church buildings in India (NCCI), and Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), acknowledged that the movie “derogatorily portrays Jesus Christ, Christians and Christian providers, distorting the picture of Jesus, key points of Christian doctrine, notably the sacrament of Baptism, and misrepresenting conversion as a prison exercise”.
The controversy surrounding the movie has been brewing since late January, when its trailer sparked considerations about its depiction of tribal conversions and land appropriation. The Christian group in Kandhamal had beforehand appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to halt the movie’s launch, expressing fears about potential communal pressure.
The movie’s journey to the screens has been marked by regulatory hurdles. Initially denied certification by the Central Board of Movie Certification’s (CBFC) regional workplace in Cuttack, the producers secured a UA certification from CBFC’s Mumbai workplace after altering the movie’s title from ‘Hey Ram: Karma Hello Dharma’ to its present identify and implementing sure edits.
Authorized makes an attempt to forestall the movie’s launch have been unsuccessful when the Orissa Excessive Court docket, led by Appearing Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice M S Sahoo, refused to grant a keep order regardless of two petitions citing considerations about public order. The court docket has stored the matter pending for additional consideration on February 19, searching for responses from each the Union and state governments.
The movie’s producer, Bijay Kandoi, and lead actor Sambit Acharya have defended the manufacturing. Acharya maintains that whereas spiritual conversion is the movie’s central theme, it doesn’t goal any particular faith however slightly depicts “actuality”. The movie is at the moment displaying in 15 theatres throughout Odisha.
The NUCF’s assertion notably emphasised the constitutional points of non secular freedom, noting that “the precise to freedom of faith, together with the precise of a citizen to transform to any faith of selection, is enshrined within the Structure of India, and any try and undermine this basic proper is unconstitutional”.
The discussion board additionally highlighted the historic context of non secular violence in Odisha, referring to “the agonizing historical past of atrocities and violence confronted by Christian communities” within the state. They warned that the movie may “perpetuate false narratives, incite hatred and violence amongst peaceable communities within the area”.
The controversy extends past Odisha, with the NUCF drawing consideration to current incidents of non secular violence in Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. The organisation criticised what it termed as “the failure of Authorities machineries to make sure security and safety of minorities”.
Whereas acknowledging the significance of freedom of expression, the NUCF has referred to as upon authorities to intervene and cease the movie’s screening, arguing that such freedom have to be exercised with warning to forestall the focusing on of any group or religion. The discussion board has appealed to the federal government, civil society, and the general public to take care of peace and concord within the area.
The movie, directed by Basudev Bard, additionally addresses different social points comparable to witchcraft, in accordance with its creators, although the controversy has primarily centred on its remedy of non secular conversion.
