Are there any political reasons to ground 'Udta Punjab' in the state that will hold elections next year or is it "excessive swearing"?
Source: Supplied
The much-talked about film "Udta Punjab" by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has been stopped by the censor board. The film, starring Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Diljit Dosanjh and Kareena Kapoor, is to release on June 17.
The film, based on the subject of Punjab's drug menace, was reportedly not granted an all-clear because of "excessive swearing".
Previously, Udta Punjab director Abhishek Chaubey had mentioned in with Huffington Post India, just how difficult it was to get funding for the project.
According to him, the theme of the film had been a major deterrent for potential producers, as well as the possibility of losing out on revenue streams, should the film get an ‘A’ rating.
Some production houses — before Balaji and Phantom stepped into the picture — also felt that the film would run into trouble with the CBFC because of its content.
Mr Kashyap, who is familiar with censorship troubles, has the option of appealing to a tribunal but NDTV has learnt that he is concerned that he will be asked to accept cuts.
Sources close to the filmmaker link the decision to political reasons in the state that will hold elections next year.
Taking a closer note, the order came a week after Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal expressed reservation over the portrayal of Punjabis in the film.
on Thursday began a Twitter hashtag as people kept posting their anger with "SHAME ON CENSOR BOARD".
Rather than go to the Revising Committee of the CBFC, producer Anurag Kashyap went straight to the Tribunal in the hope of a hasty clearance with nominal cuts. Alternatively, the Minister of Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore has also been approached to clear the film with an ‘A’ certificate, sans cuts.
The Udta Punjab team has argued that the expletives used in the film are essential to the plot and context. The latest reports also suggest that Anurag Kashyap has the I&B Ministry to expedite the certification process for the film.
Previously, Udta Punjab director Abhishek Chaubey had mentioned in with Huffington Post India, just how difficult it was to get funding for the project. According to him, the theme of the film had been a major deterrent for potential producers, as well as the possibility of losing out on revenue streams, should the film get an ‘A’ rating. Some production houses — before Balaji and Phantom stepped into the picture — also felt that the film would run into trouble with the CBFC because of its content.
An report also quoted SAD MLA Karan Virsa Singh Valtoha sa saying that the film was an “outcome of a trend to defame Punjab and its youth”. However, the party’s spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema had clarified that SAD would not be seeking a ban on the film until after it had released, and its content seen. “It will be wrong to comment hypothetically till we do not watch the exact contents. Deputy CM will take a call once the film is released,” Cheema said.
In another development, Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday condemned the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC) for refusing certification to Hindi movie ‘Udta Punjab’, alleging that it has been done at the behest of the Akali-BJP government in Punjab.
“If you think that by not clearing the movie you will hide the truth, you are mistaken,” Amarinder said in a statement in Chandigarh. “At least Jaitely should have stood against it as nobody can know it better than him as how serious is the drug problem in Punjab,” he said as posted by Hindustan Times.
Diljeet Dosanjh and Actress Kareena Kapoor Source: Supplied
