This time the customs decided to raid the Cannes brigade. The director and producer of the one Indian film to be in competition this year at Cannes - Peddlers were held up by the customs. Director Vasan Bala and producer Guneet Monga were held up on Wednesday evening on the Mumbai International airport after they were getting back from their very lucrative trip to Cannes. And focused on what - The Indian customs caught both Vasan and Guneet on the airport for carrying iPads.
Anurag Kashyap, the producer at the film Peddlers, gifted his director Vasan and his co-producer Guneet with iPads to celebrate the success of the screening of Peddlers as a part of the contest for the International Critics Week at Cannes Film Festival 2012. Since these were brand new, the custom officers asked for declarations at the pieces. Clearly, the gesture of the gift was reduced to a nasty episode and bad memory for both Vasan and Guneet.
Say's a production insider, "They asked for a bill and made them pay 36% duty for a present that they got from Anurag. Moreover, the custom officials were extremely rude and told both that they need to know this before traveling that there's a duty on carrying iPads. It was extremely embarrassing and albeit very unpleasant. They felt terrible that this was the welcome they got of their homeland after bringing pride to the rustic at a global platform."
When contacted, director Vasan Bala said, "It's strange that laptops are ok because it's old technology but because the iPad is new it gives some scope for detention and scrutiny. I also over heard it's an either/or situation either one laptop or one iPad. Both apparently cannot be carried without declaration. So Strange!! Anyway it's now at the list with cameras for declaration. It is best to carry nothing."
Producer of Peddlers, Guneet Monga said, "Our iPads were gifted to us by Anurag for the successful screening of our film Peddlers on the Cannes Film Festival. How do they expect us to hold receipts!! It is very troublesome and unnecessary and tall that the custom officer was involved in was to turn off on how they stop all Bollywood celebrities. Very disappointing to land in our own country and be treated like this. While I ATTEMPTED to reason it out I USED TO BE told that I'D be put behind bars. For what's something I'd love to know?"
Peddlers stars Gulshan Devaiah, Siddharth Menon, Nimrat Kaur, Kriti Malhotra directed by Vasan Bala, produced by Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap and distributed by Eros International.
