The verdict of the Central Board of Film Certification on Udta Punjab asking the makers to remove the word ‘Punjab’ from the title and references within the film, apart from 89 cuts, has drawn flak from both members of the industry and politicians. Sharang Bhaskaran and Shrabasti Mallik find out what this means for the future of movies made in India
Imagine the horror if the next time you see the trailer of Udta Punjab, but instead the title comes as Udta India or Udta World. This might even be possible if the makers of the movie decide to take up Ram Gopal Varma’s suggestion. He had jumped the fray and tweeted, “For what it actually represents Udta Punjab Is diminutive.. A more truthful and righteous title would be Udta India or Udta World (sic).”
There has been a hue and cry since last month when the Central Board of Film Certification had refused to give a clean chit to the film. The decision had compelled Abhishek Chaubey, director, and production houses Balaji Telefilms and Phantom Films to appeal to the Examining Committee. They had, in turn, (if reports are to be believed) demanded as many as 89 clips in the movie be chopped. None of this is in writing, which is why the filmmakers are likely to approach the Bombay High Court.
Adding to this, the Board has also asked the makers to remove the song Chitta ve from the movie for its alleged reference to cocaine. Chitta in Punjabi means white and hence the objection. And the Board thought it to be a metaphor for cocaine.
As much as censoring of explicit material on screen is necessary to a certain point, the culture of beeps and cuts in films is detrimental to the idea of promoting realistic stories and cinema. Point in case being the attempt at curbing the realistic portrayal of a state in the country, gripped with an unprecedented epidemic of drug addiction, which the government and authorities are not going to let pass.
Anurag Kashyap, one of the producers of the film, feels cuts are equal to murdering the film. “Even one cut by Censors amounts to murder of the film,” he said. What it also amounts to, is murder of creative and artistic freedom for filmmakers who wish to make a political statement or just plain entertain the audiences.
While we constantly debate on freedom of expression and the right to express our views and opinions without fear, in reality ‘Big Brother’ has no intention of letting that happen. “It is the duty of every freedom loving person to stand up and fight for Udta Punjab,” said Mahesh Bhatt.
In the latest development, the Censor Board has allowed the makers to retain the word ‘Punjab’ in the title and has asked to remove anything and evertything related to the word and any reference to the state and its drug problems.
It all began with Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal objecting to the film’s depiction of the state’s drug problem. With the Punjab assembly elections less than nine months away, the release of the movie could spell political trouble for them. Rumours are that even the release dates have been shifted to July 15 instead of June 17.
We do not know how the film is going to turn out if at all the demands of the CBFC are carried out and frankly, its about time we stopped caring two hoots about it. Because to be honest, no matter how much we toot our horns about free speech and expression and demand ‘real content’ there is no way that we can get past the twisted mazes of the Censor Board. Think of movies Mastizaade and Grand Masti slipping out of the Board with minimum glitch and you will know what we are trying to say.