On the poster, Mallika Sherawat strikes a bold pose atop an ambassador car with a red beacon
In rare consonance, lawmakers in Rajasthan have come together across party lines to demand a ban on a Bollywood film called "Dirty Politics." Its poster features actress Mallika Sherawat, in very few clothes, sitting in front of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha or assembly building.
On the poster, Ms Sherawat strikes a bold pose atop an ambassador car with a red beacon, much like government vehicles used by politicians and bureaucrats.
The lawmakers say the poster attacks the dignity of the House. Raising the issue in the assembly today, Congress leader Rameshwar Dudi said, "The picture of the Vidhan Sabha behind Mallika Sherawat is wrong and in bad taste."
Ramlal Sharma of the ruling BJP agreed and asked the state government to take action. "This is an affront to the feelings of those who are members of the legislative assembly," he said.
Rajasthans parliamentary affairs minister Rajendra Rathore has assured the MLAs that the state government will take appropriate action.
"If we feel that the dignity of the state has been violated, we will take action, we will also bring this to the notice of the Chief Minister," Mr Rathore, who is an MP from Rajasthan, said.
The film, directed by KC Bokadia, is said to be based on the 2011 murder of midwife Bhanwari Devi. A former Congress minister Mahipal Maderna and a former MLA Malkhan Singh are accused of her murder and are in jail. The CBI, which investigated the case, has alleged that Bhanwari Devi was murdered as she had video recordings of the two powerful politicians in compromised positions. The case is in a trial court.
Mr Bokadia told NDTV that Dirty Politics is a "commercial movie passed by the Censor Board... I had no intention of targeting any political outfit or of hurting anyone's feelings."
The film released on March 6 and has been granted an 'A' certificate by the board. It also stars Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher.