New Delhi: Movie Udta Punjab’s fight with Central Board of Film Certification has sparked a national debate. The 89 cuts, after which the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has agreed to give this Abhishek Choubey directorial an ‘A’ certificate; has united the entire film fraternity. The board demanded that ‘Punjab’ should be dropped off from the title as mentioning the name of the state of Punjab will malign its image.
The excessive use of cuss words had led to the movie locking horns with the board, in May; but it seems the certification body has troubles with normal words too.
Out of the 13 suggestions, given by the CBFC board headed by Pahlaj Nihalani some are plain absurd.
A document released in the press highlights all the cuts which the board demanded from the movie. While some of them are cuss words, few of the cuts can be rightly called insane.
Read: From Big B, Aamir Khan to Anurag Kashyap: Who said what on the 'Udta Punjab' controversy
Here are few things which the censor board asked makers to omit from the movie:
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.
Remove ‘Chittave’, ‘Chusaa hua aam’, Election, MP, party, from party worker, MLA, Punjab Parliament
Delete the visuals of scratching/itching side portion by a Sardar.
Delete the line ‘Jamin banjar te Aulad Kanjar’.
Delete the name of dog as ‘Jacky Chan’.
Apart from numerous cuts, Pahlaj Nihalani's Censor Board also wants to add a disclaimer in the film, apparently to let the audience know that the government is fighting a battle against the menace of drug. It wants the film to acknowledge "the battle against drugs being fought by the Government and police".
‘First disclaimer should be audio/video’ and to be changed as- ‘The film focuses on the rising menace of drugs and the war against the drugs and is an attempt to show the ill-effects of drugs on today’s youth and the social fabric. We acknowledge the battle against drugs bein g fought by the Government and police. But this battle cannot be won unless the people of India unite against the menace.’
