New Delhi: The Bombay High Court on Monday pronounced its verdict in the plea filed by the producers of ‘Udta Punjab’ against the 13 cuts suggested by the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification).
The court has allowed the release of the movie with one major cut and three disclaimers. It includes the shot of Tommy (played by Shahid Kapoor) urinating in public and few cuss words here and there.
The Bombay HC said, “We don't feel that this scene is necessary,” and the producers accepted it.
Terming it as a vindication of democracy, Anurag Kashyap's lawyer admitted, "We have to delete only one scene (urination).
Furthermore, CBFC has been directed by Bombay HC to issue a fresh certificate to Udta Punjab in 2 days. CBFC's demand for a stay has also been refused by HC.
Notably, the board had demanded that ‘Punjab’ be dropped off from the title as mentioning the name of the state of Punjab will malign its image. Besides, CBFC had given out the list of 13 suggestions highlighting the 89 cuts to be made in the movie.
However, Bombay High Court, in a major relief to the producers, has passed the movie with just a minor cut and has termed others major cuts as unnecessary.
Here’s what the Censor Board had proposed and the observations of the Bombay HC in its verdict today:
1. Censor Board: Delete sign board of Punjab in the beginning. Delete Punjab, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Tarantaran, Jashanpura, Ambesar, Ludhiana and Moga from the background and dialogues wherever it occurs.
Bombay HC: We have read the script in its entirety to see if the film encourages drugs. We do not find the film questioning the sovereignty or integrity of India by the names of cities, reference to state or by a signpost.
2. Censor Board: Remove Election, MP, party, party worker, MLA, Punjab Parliament.
Bombay HC: Cut number 6 has general words (MP, MLA, Parliament etc), don't refer to any outfit but reflect for general political work.
3. Censor Board: Delete the visuals of scratching/itching side portion by a Sardar. Remove ‘Chittave’ and ‘Harami’ wherever it appears in song no 1.
Bombay HC: Cut suggestion number 7 not needed. No need to delete the scratching scene in song no 3 suggested by CBFC.
4. Censor Board: Delete the line ‘Jamin banjar te Aulad Kanjar’.
Bombay HC: Punjab is land of green revolution, brave soldiers. One sentence (Zameen banjar te aulaad kanjar) can't affect that image.
5. Censor Board: Delete the close up shot of injecting the drugs wherever it appears.
Bombay HC: Cut suggestion number 8 not necessary. Only one close-up scene of injecting drug will not violate the mandate.
6. Censor Board: Remove the cuss words wherever they appear.
Bombay HC: As far as cut number 5 suggested by CBFC is concerned, there are some abusive words which need to be deleted. There is no need to assert or incorporate abusive words in every dialogue. We are not in agreement that in some films cuss words have been allowed so these should be allowed here too.
