Didn't Face Any Discrimination in Indian Air Force: Lt. Gunjan Saxena Files An Affidavit

Retired Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena filed an affidavit in Delhi High Court claiming that she didn’t face any gender-based discrimination during her service with Indian Air Force. This affidavit is in relation to the representation of gender discrimination in her biopic, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, directed by Kana Johar and starring Janhvi Kapoor.

“I firmly believe that the IAF as an institution is very progressive and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities given,” Saxena stated in the affidavit, as quoted by Bar and Bench.

The affidavit further stated that Saxena "had no control over the exercise of 'creative liberties' during the making of the Movie, it remains a fact that in so far as the Deponent (Saxena) is concerned, at an institutional level, she has not faced any discrimination on the basis of her gender.” The affidavit clarified that she did not intend to say that not all the scenes in the movie were taken from her real-life but it was a dramatic representation of her life journey. “(I) believe that the message sought to be conveyed through the Movie is to motivate young women to join the Indian Air Force ('IAF') and, on a broader canvas, the aim is to inspire young women to pursue their dreams, not to doubt themselves and to work hard towards their goals."

Saxena said that Dharma Productions had signed an agreement with her seeking the liberty to present fictional scenes. However, the final copy of the script was not shared with her. Neither was she involved in the approval process of the movie.

Also Read:‘It’s Offensive’ – Air Marshal Reveals What Reel life Gunjan Saxena Gets Wrong About Air Force

Earlier the Centre had submitted a plea seeking a restrain on the release of the biopic stating that the movie maligns the dignity and reputation of Indian Air Force by showing that it practices gender discrimination.

In a former hearing held on September 18, the court had asked Gunjan Saxena to file an affidavit stating her assessment of the movie’s content and especially its portrayal of Indian Air Force. The Court had asked her to also mention if the filmmakers have violated any of terms of the agreement they signed with her. However, Ms Saxena’s representative Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan had argued that the movie was not an official biopic but merely inspired by Saxena’s life. He said that Saxena personally felt that the it glorifies Indian Air Force.

Also Read: An Air Marshal says Gunjan Saxena the Film was Offensive

Saxena also wrote a blog to NDTV in August where she claimed about not facing any gender discrimination personally at IAF. However, she also said that completely denying the presence of gender discrimination in the forces would speak “of a feudal mindset” and undermine “the grit of women officers.” She wrote, “I also combated the difficulties of prejudice and discrimination at the hands of a few individuals for being a woman.” You can read the full report here.

In the recent hearing held on October 15, 2020, the Delhi High Court has suggested that the filmmakers and the Centre should sort out the indifference regarding the content of the movie. It has refused any interim order to stop the its release in the theatre sating that people would have already watched the movie on the OTT platform as it was released on Netflix on August 12, 2020.

Also Read: Gunjan Saxena Movie Review: A Poignant Ode To The Father-Daughter Relationship