Former Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani has filed a plea in Bombay High Court against the CBFC after it reportedly suggested around 20 cuts in his upcoming movie Rangeela Raja, starring Govinda, reports news agency ANI.
Here’s the list of the cuts from Pahlaj Nihalani’s Rangeela Raja:
- CBFC has asked for another disclaimer of anti-smoking static message in Hindi in all scenes with reference to smoking/tobacco.
- CBFC has asked Nihalani to delete a dialogue - “talwar myan se bahar nikal aayi toh”
- CBFC has asked Nihalani to cut another dialogue, “To Aap mere honth kaant lijiye”. Nihalani says that these words are said when the hero says to the heroine that “Dronacharya ke shiksh ne apna angutha kaat ke de diya tha”, then the heroine says the dialogue that CBFC wants deleted.
- CBFC has ordered for deletion of a dialogue “Haay itna ras bhara…..ahista ahista kholna”. Clarifying, Nihalani has said that it was said in reference to 'Gevar,' a sweet from Rajasthan.
- CBFC has objected to another dialogue “Dyaychi ahe ghyaychi ahe”. Nihalani says that this dialogue is in reference to alcohol.
- CBFC has asked for removal of another dialogue - “Arjun ki tarah ratri mein aapka teer lekar”. Nihalani says that it is in the contest of conflicts between two brothers.
- CBFC has ordered for deletion of another dialogue “tu aisa swadisht khana mujhe pehle bhi khila chuki hai."
CBFC has found some scenes vulgar too. They want a scene where hero slaps his wife twice, to be removed. Nihalani says that the hero slapped her because she lied and that was the “natural reaction on the part of the Hero”.
CBFC has asked Nihalani to put in disclaimer mentioning that all the characters in the movie are imaginary and has nothing to do with any such living person and/or with any religion, etc. CBFC has asked Nihalani to keep the disclaimer for 15 seconds.
Blasting the current censor chief Prasoon Joshi he told IANS, “This is nothing but personal vendetta. When I was the chairperson (at the CBFC) I left a lot of people angry and upset with me. Now when my film has been submitted for censoring, they are taking out their frustrations on me. But I won’t go down without a fight.”
Nihalani, who claims to have followed all the guidelines as the censor chief, accuses Joshi of bending rules to please friends.
“Everybody knows about Prasoon Joshi’s enduring friendship with Aamir Khan. No one is surprised that Thugs of Hindostan (starring Aamir Khan) was given an all-clear censor certification out of turn, while my film Rangeela Raja which was submitted well in time 60 days ahead of release, has been slapped with multiple cuts which I am not taking. No sir!”Pahlaj Nihalani
Nihalani says a new impromptu rule has been added to the censor guidelines to please influential producers and give them undue priority for censoring. “A producer can now submit an affidavit where he takes an undertaking that he needs a censor certificate in a hurry, breaking the 60-day rule.”
Nihalani says this new additional rule is bogus. “How can the CBFC follow up whether a film actually releases on the day given on the affidavit? This is done only to accommodate handpicked producers whereas I am being harassed because I’ve a history with the CBFC.”
Nihalani says the cuts ordered in his film are absurd.
“There is no vulgarity, no double meaning dialogues. Still I’ve been asked to delete a massive number of dialogues and scenes. In one sequence my heroine asks my hero what he’d like as guru dakshina. He says Eklavya cut his thumb and gave it to his guru, to which she tells the hero he can cut her lips. There is no kiss. Only a suggestion of a kiss. Still I’ve been asked to cut out this harmless playful scene. Why? Movies like Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan are filled with kissing and lovemaking scenes and yet passed with a ‘UA.”
Nihalani says his film is being made a scapegoat by the CBFC and he is all set for a legal battle. “Prasoon Joshi is breaking guidelines to please his friends. But he can’t bully me into cutting harmless scenes just because I was once in his chair and favouring no one. I am going to court to fight this out. I will see Mr Joshi in court.”
(With inputs from Ankita Sinha)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)