If you can't give people bread, give them films like 'Pathaan: Former SC judge Katju slams Shah Rukh film

New Delhi, Jan 26: Former judge of the Supreme Court of India Markandey Katju on Thursday slammed Shah Rukh Khan's latest movie 'Pathaan', saying his estimate of fools in India has increased to 95 per cent following the response to the flick.

"My estimate of fools in India has gone up from 90% to 95% after seeing the response to the film Pathan, [sic]" he tweeted.

Elaborating on his views, he wrote an article in which he explained his comments about the Hindi film. "Films are a form of art, and about art, there are two theories (1) art for art's sake, and (2) art for social purpose. Both these forms of art provide entertainment. But proponents of the first school say that art should only be for providing entertainment or appealing to our aesthetic feelings, and if it is used for a social purpose, it ceases to be art, and becomes propaganda.

He then stated that art should be socially relevant apart from providing art and inspire people to bring about changes in society. The former Supreme Court judge claimed that the country should need a second form of art. He cited India's position slipping from 101 to 107 in the Global Hunger Index, rising unemployment, skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses.

He wants entertainment to be combined with social relevance and cited examples of movies of Raj Kapoor like 'Awaara', Shri 420', 'Boot Polish', 'Jagte Raho, Anaadi'or the films of Satyajit Ray, Charlie Chaplin, Sergei Eisenstein, Orson Welles, etc.

He then attacked Amitabh Bachchan, Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna saying that their movies do not have social relevance. Katju points out that he is not criticising the movie like the way right-wing groups targeted the movie. "I am not against Pathaan because of right wingers of the saffron brigade, or because I am against Shah Rukh Khan or Deepika Padukone (I do not know them). I am against it because it has no social relevance, and only provides thrills, and takes us into a world of make believe," he wrote in the story.

"The Roman Emperors used to say "If you cannot give the people bread, give them circuses". Today they would say" If you cannot give the people bread, give them films like Pathaan, " he concludes.

'Pathaan' has run into trouble with right-wing groups over Deepika Padukone's vulgar song 'Besharam Rang'. Also, Deepika's silent support for the JNU protestors was the other reason why they had called for the ban on the movie.