New Delhi: The Bombay High court, while listening to the petition filed by co-producer of 'Udta Punjab' Anurag Kashyap on Thursday, came down heavily on the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and asked how the name of a movie could challenge India’s unity and sovereignty.
“If we can have movies titled, ‘Humare MLA Ram Avatar’, ‘Go Goa Gone,’ ‘Bombay to Goa’, then why is there a problem with ‘Udta Punjab’?” A bench headed by Justice S C Dharmadhikari said rapping the lawyer representing the board.
The judge also asked the censor board what it was doing when Goa was depicted in bad light a number of times.
"If Goa can be shown as a place of drug abuse in that film, what is wrong if Punjab is shown in Udta Punjab?" asked the Judge.
“Does a fictional border affect the sovereignty of the nation? In the past several war movies have been made. No reference is made to any other country. You are asking them to delete the signboard. And you say that the board applied brains while suggesting the cuts?” the judge added.
The release of neo-noir drama ‘Udta Punjab’ has garnered a lot of attention, since it was ‘grounded’ by the Central Board of Film Certification. The makers refused to kneel down at the demands of CBFC; 89 cuts and the name of ‘Punjab’ deleted from the title.
Following the no-go from the board, the makers approached Bombay High Court. During the hearing, the judge asked hard hitting questions to the censor board and were reportedly dissatisfied with the board’s replies.
The hearing has been adjourned till tomorrow.
The CBFC, however, submitted that all the 13 changes including deletion of Punjab in the film title suggested by its Revising Committee were justified and proper.
“All the cuts fall in the legal parameter of the board. The sign board of Punjab puts India’s sovereignty at stake and paints a bad picture of the state,” the defence lawyer said justifying the suggested cut.
The defence lawyer, however, was not able to convince the judge the thought process and reasoning behind the suggested cuts.
The plaintiff’s lawyer said in defence that ‘Udta Punjab’ doesn’t glorify drug consumption.
Elaborating on the 13 suggestions, the lawyer of the filmmakers said, “How can words like Punjab, election, MP threaten the sovereignty of the nation? Many movies like Hare Ram Hare Krishna and Dum Maro Dum; have shown drug addiction.”
CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, had a few days ago said that the movie uses a phrase, ‘Zameen banjar te aulad Kanjar’; which maligns the state. Defending the use of these words, the lawyer said, that it highlights how drug addiction has affected the society poorly. The lawyer also added that the name of dog ‘Jackie Chan’, was pure humour.
However, the judge did not seem too pleased with the entire media ruckus created around the movie. Slamming the makers of the movie, the court remarked that people who wish to settle issues by rushing to the media do not deserve a place in the courtroom. He added,
“With your sign board you are telling as if the state of Punjab is just known for its drug addiction.”
The court further added that no one will be allowed to abuse creativity.
