Aam Aadmi Party

Arvind Kejriwal

Bhavik Somani

Harshil Nayak

Pahlaj Nihalani

Narendra Modi

Afilm depicting the political journey of(AAP) supremohas run into controversy before its November 17 release. Lawyer, 32, has written to the Election Commission of India saying ‘The Insignificant Man’ violates the Model Code of Conduct. According to sources, AAP is likely to contest on 25 seats in Gujarat polls scheduled for December 9 and 14. The trailer of the 100-minute documentary, which has real-life characters essaying the roles, has been out on the social media.It chronicles the Delhi CM’s journey including his activism and achievements. “I have written a letter to the state and national election commissions, requesting them to block the release of the film on the life of Kejriwal and other AAP leaders. The film includes real-life footages right from the rallies of Kejriwal and his team during the Jan Lokpal stir to poll campaigns at Delhi and other places,” said Somani, who practises in Gujarat High Court.He said, “Gujarat is a poll-bound state and model code of conduct is in effect here. Even the AAP candidates are contesting polls. So it would be unethical and a violation of the model code of conduct if the film is allowed to be released.” However, AAP argued that the party had nothing to do with the movie. “The movie has been made by private individuals who are not involved with our party in any way.So I think it will not violate election norms,” said, AAP spokesperson. “I have seen the trailer. The movie is also critical of Mr Kejriwal. It is not that AAP and its leaders are being lauded,” he said. “At the heart of An Insignificant Man is the most polarising man in India today – Arvind Kejriwal. The film follows Kejriwal and his common man’s party, an insurgent new political party, as they wield basic public issues like water, electricity, and graft against the country’s oldest and most powerful two political establishments,” says the portal of the film.It also said, “The 100-minute film has been distilled from 400 hours of behind- the-scenes footage shot over a course of two years with a fly-on-the-wall approach.” The film that ran into trouble with the censor board was given a clearance in August. Former censor board chiefhad earlier asked the filmmakers to get a no-objection certificate from Prime Minister, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Kejriwal himself, to get a goahead for release.As many as 782 crowd funders contributed amounts ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 100,000 for the movie. The target was $20,000 and they landed up raising $120,000, the makers had said. It gives a sneak-peek into the heated arguments, inside jokes, campaign strategies and the true events and ideologies that inform the rhetoric, as we follow the birth of the newest political party in India - the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a press release by the makers had stated.