Mumbai: The Censor Board's has recommended 89 cuts for Abhishek Chaubey's 'Udta Punjab' which includes removal of all references to the Punjab from the movie. The issue snowballed into a major controversy with CBFC inviting ire of Bollywood, social media and political parties.
From the Board’s point of view, it has asked the film to be set in a fictional land rather than in Punjab and has also asked producers to drop ‘Punjab’ from film's title. With the board banning the word "Punjab," the filmmakers say they may have to change the title to only "Udta," if they don't reach a settlement with the revising committee soon.
Anurag Kashyap, one of the film' producers, lambasted the censor board's move and even went further to compare India with North Korea.
"I always wondered what it felt like to live in North Korea .. Ab to plane pakadney ki bhi zaroorat nahin (Now I don't have to catch a flight to find out)." he said in a Tweet.
Anurag thanked board chief Pahlaj Nihalani a few weeks ago on Twitter for clearing the expletive-laden trailer. Nihalani was unavailable for comment.
However, the reason behind the issue garnering such massive attention and sparking outrage is not the film or Kashyap’s clout in the industry. The developments come in the backdrop of the Assembly elections scheduled in the state for 2017, where the SAD-BJP combine will be fighting for its return to power. Aam Aadmi Party, led by Arvind Kejriwal has already tried to queer the pitch declaring its entry into the Punjab elections.
“When Congress party would form the Government in the State, you will see that we will take action against the people responsible for drug abuse. We will eradicate it and you will see the difference in months," said Vishwas, the face of AAP’s anti-drug campaign in Punjab.
Critics have hinted that the board's decision may have been taken in the wake of Assembly polls in the state early next year, which may damage the reputation of ruling Akali Dal and its alliance partner BJP. Drug abuse has been a key election issue highlighted by opposition parties.
"The movie is tarnishing the image of Punjab and its people by showing them as drug addicts,” SAD’s Daljit Singh Cheema said.
The Akali Dal, led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy Sukhbir Badal, has raised strong objections to the title and content of the "Udta Punjab."
Whereas, vowing to stop this move by the Akali Dal, Partap Bajwa, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former state party chief said, "The Akali Dal knows the movie with big stars like Shahid and Kareena will put drugs at the centre stage of the political debate ahead of polls. So first, they tried to politely use censorship by pressurizing the filmmakers to remove abuses from the script and then this. We will take this issue to Parliament and not allow this move.”
However, the Delhi CM’s attempt to score some brownie points by extending his support to the film and attack the BJP did not meet the welcome Kejriwal would have expected. Kejriwal tried to throw his weight behind Kashyab only to be asked by the director to stay out of his battle.
Board member Ashoke Pandit condemned the demand and called it an insult to the “freedom of expression”.
“If the trailer of the film was allowed, what is the problem with the film? What kind of situation are we heading to? It is a dangerous trend,” said Pandit, who is not a part of the committee.
“I am sure the film will be cleared in the tribunal. It is the most comic decision to ask them not to use the word Punjab,” Pandit added.
Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the film starring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh was slated to release on June 17.
In 2009, Irrfan Khan and Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Billu’ was made to remove the word ‘Barber’ from its title after the community protested against it. The 2016 sex-comedy, ‘Kya Kool Hain Hum 3’, had to undergo massive cuts to get an adult certificate.
