New Delhi: CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalan, who is at the centre of storm surrounding the censorship on Udta Punab, has rejected any role in the leak of the controversial drug themed movie on the internet.
While makers struggled to take the link down after it became available on multiple torrent sites on Wednesday, they also appealed the netizens not to download the film and to watch it in theatres.
Cyber Police, following the complaint from makers, are tracing the IP address through which the movie was allegedly uploaded, reports say. The film stars Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh.
Given the tiff between censor-board and the producers of the film, the finger of suspicion was raised towards CBFC as many alleged that it was done to get back at the film’s makers following the Bombay High court verdict.
“The person responsible has already been identified and the leak will be tracked down. We will cooperate if we are approached as part of the investigation,” Nihalani told The Indian Express.
Nihalani is also facing criticism for for issuing the film a certificate that names high court judges who ruled in the case. The text, “Passed by Hon’ble High Court, Mumbai”, is also inscribed on the certificate.
Calling the controversy a publicity stunt, Nihalani said most members of the industry have no problems with him as CBFC head.
Nihalani further said that a “good film doesn’t need cuss words”, “like Sholay, which was a super-duper hit”.
The CBFC chief also alleged that Kashyap and Bhatts always had issue with CBFC irrespective of who heads it.
On June 13, the Bombay High Court cleared Bollywood film Udta Punjab for release with one cut, a scene that the filmmakers said they had offered in court to delete.
The court also said today, "None can dictate to the maker how to make his film and what should be the context...It is entirely for them to choose the setting, the under-lying theme and story line."
The film fraternity backed Mr Kashyap versus the board's chief Pahlaj Nihalani, who had cleared the film with an Adult or 'A' certification provided the makers removed the word "Punjab" and names of other places throughout the film, deleted expletives and also words like "election" and "parliament."
Earlier, "Udta Punjab" co-producer Anurag Kashyap hit out at Nihalani, calling him an "oligarch" and a "dictator" for allegedly trying to sabotage the movie's release.
Nihalani, in turn, accused Kashyap of taking money from Aam Aadmi Party.
Kashyap, who got the support of several filmmakers including Mahesh Bhatt, Karan Johar and Aamir Khan, later moved court against the board's demands for 89 cuts in the movie.
The AAP and Congress had earlier accused Punjab's ruling SAD-BJP alliance of exercising its influence to "censor" the movie, a charge denied by the state government.
Kashyap had also tried to avoid the politicisation of the controversy, requesting the political parties to stay away from the issue.
