Anand Patwardhan’s 1995 documentary, ‘Father, Son and Holy War’ has been taken down from YouTube.
The film, which also examines the intersections of patriarchy, masculinity, Hindutva fundamentalism, and anti-Muslim violence in India, is no longer available on Patwardhan’s official YouTube channel.
Questioning YouTube’s decision, Patwardhan wrote on Facebook, “Youtube censorship again! Father, Son and Holy War is my 1995 film which got a U/A censor certificate, two National Awards and the Supreme Court of India ordered Doordarshan to screen it at prime time in the public interest. Yet now, 30 years later, Youtube has decided that it is too ‘violent!’”
Defending the film, Patwardhan said it documents violence rather than glorifies it.
“It is a documentary that records the violence caused by religious fanatics and politicians vying for power. It is an expose of violence, not an endorsement of it. Shame on Youtube! Remove the censors, not good sense,” he wrote.