The trailer for Richa Chadha's next Madam Chief Minister was released today. The film produced by T-Series and Kangra Talkies Production is eyeing a theatrical release on January 22, 2021. Directed and written by Subhash Kapoor, Madam Chief Minister would be Richa Chadha's second theatrical release after the theatres in the country unveiled after being shut for months due to the COVD-19 pandemic. Her first release was Shakeela.
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The trailer captures the struggles of an 'untouchable' girl rising against societal practices. Chadha sports a short haircut and a political demeanour that may remind viewers of former UP chief minister Mayawati. However, the disclaimer tells us that the film is a fictional tale. In the three-minute trailer for the film, we see Chadha's character escapes from her home to follow her political aspirations and to fight the odds she had to face due to her caste. The film, set in Uttar Pradesh, promises to capture the journey of a girl who fights all odds to reach the top.
Richa Chadha has shared the poster of Madam Chief Minister on January 4, which faced backlash on social media due to its stereotypical representation of a Dalit woman. The first poster for the film shows Richa Chadha with a broom in her hand, and the text on the poster reads, "Untouchable, Unstoppable." Many social media users also asked why a Dalit actor wasn't cast for the lead role. "Any reason why a person from the effected background has not been casted? It's exactly how straight men are taken for Gay roles and they turn that into a slapstick fest. Disappointing," wrote one Twitter user.
Any reason why a person from the effected background has not been casted? It's exactly how straight men are taken for Gay roles and they turn that into a slapstick fest. Disappointing.
Here are some tweets calling out Madam Chief Minister for its stereotypical representation of Dalits in the poster:
Savarna filmmakers have a long history of portraying Dalit as helpless victim. From Achhut Kanya to Roy sir’s Sujata, Sinha’s Article 15 and now Richa ma’am’s Madam Chief Minister. They don’t have the guts to make films like Fandry, Kaala or Pariyerum Perumal on Dalit lives.
To all those who have been sending me messages 'explaining' why I was wrong about criticising the poster of 'Madam Chief Minister' tweeted by Richa Chadda yesterday -name one movie where an Upper Caste protagonist's role has been played by a Dalit without inviting any controversy pic.twitter.com/rD7OOanjL3
Responding to the Twitter backlash Richa Chadha called the criticism being meted out to Madam Chief Minister poster "misdirected" and "premature" in a tweet.
People that haven't the faintest clue about how films are made, cast, promoted lampooning an actor is what's downright ridiculous Sid.The criticism is misdirected and premature.Gaslight I did not.Bring me down from the pedestal, I don't need the burden of these expectations. https://t.co/sxq3cx75n4
You really expect me to turn down rewarding, meaningful work? That’s just absurd... You’d rather this kind of story not be told at all? Sir, you may live in a perfect Boston world, we live in Bombay, where progress > perfection. Humein casteist keh diya, ab kya baaki. 👋🏾 gbye https://t.co/TQDbgXvEsY
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