Congress leader seeks tax-free status for 'Chhapaak' in Maha

Congress leader Sanjay Dutt on Friday appealed to the MaharashtraVikas Aghadi (MVA) government to declare Bollywood film 'Chhapaak', based on the real life story of an acid attack survivor, tax-free in the state. The Deepika Padukone-starrer film, directed by Meghna Gulzar, hit the theatres on Friday.

Dutt, an AICC secretary, said the filminspires and conveys a positive message to change the society's outlook against such survivors and highlights their agony, struggle and triumph against all odds. Given the film's positive message and content, the MVA government should provide it tax-free status in the state, the former MLC said.

The Congress is a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led MVA government. The Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Thursday declared the film tax-free in the two states.

If a movie is declared tax-free it means the state has waived the entertainment levy imposed on it, thereby bring down the ticket rates and encouraging more people to watch it. Padukone visited the JNU campus in Delhi on Tuesday to express solidarity with students who were attacked by armed assailants on Sunday night, but did not address the gathering.

After her JNU visit, many appreciated her "silent solidarity" with students, but some others criticised her for "supporting Leftists", saying it was a promotional stunt ahead of her film's release. A section of BJP leaders also criticised the 34-year- old actress over her JNU visit..

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