MUMBAI MIRROR (April 26, 2017)

The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has directed the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to grant an 'A' certificate to Lipstick Under My Burkha after “voluntary and some additional cuts and deletions“. The censors had earlier denied the film a certificate but the Tribunal, headed by Manmohan Sarin, found merit in the submissions made by director Alankrita Shrivastava and the film's producer Prakash Jha arguing the directives of CBFC's Examining and Revising Committees.

The makers in their appeal had asserted that the theme of the film is about “women claiming their rights over their body, their ideas, decisions, aspirations and fulfilment of their dreams“ and promotes “emancipation and assertion of women rights, culminating in their liberation and empowerment“. The FCAT observed that CBFC “misdirected themselves in denying certification on the ground that the story of the film is women oriented. There cannot be any embargo on a film being women oriented or containing sexual fantasies and expression of the inner desires of women“, it reiterated.

“As a matter of general approach if the aspect of sexual desires and their expression is sensitively handled without bringing coarseness, vulgarity or obscenity, pandering prurient tendencies, then it is not to be disallowed,“ the statement read, adding, “We cannot lose sight that there is a thin line between creative and artistic expression being depicted in a natural sex scene. The same can be obliterated if the sexual scenes are continued for a long duration which may not be necessary or integral to the film. Besides, it would then infringe the guidelines requiring such scenes to be kept to the minimum.“

It has directed some voluntary cuts or reduction in the length of the sex scenes. In addition to the above, some cuts, which the FCAT felt were necessary, particularly in the length of the scenes, were so directed.

The film featuring Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Plabita Borthakur and Aahana Kumra, chronicles the secret lives of four women of different ages in a small town in India as they search for different kinds of freedom.
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MID-DAY (April 26, 2017)

After much struggle with the censors, makers of Lipstick Under My Burkha will be able to take the film to theatres. The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has directed the Censor Board to grant an A certificate to the women-oriented movie with “voluntary and some additional cuts and deletions” while observing that the cuss words and intimate scenes were integral to the storyline. The tribunal, however, directed the makers of the film to mute a couple of Hindi words, including those referring to prostitutes.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had refused certification to the film saying, “Women in the film are shown in negative light, particularly targeting women of certain community which might hurt sentiments.”

Following the CBFC’s decision, director Alankrita Srivastava and producer Prakash Jha had filed an appeal in the FCAT. The tribunal, headed by former Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin, observed, “The examining and revising committees of the CBFC have misdirected themselves in denying certification on the ground that the story of the film is women-oriented. There cannot be any embargo on a women-oriented film or one containing sexual fantasies and expression of the inner desires of women.”

The makers had offered to make some cuts in the film. However, the FCAT suggested a few deletions in intimate scenes “without affecting in any manner the projection and substance of the scene or in any manner affecting the basic film.” Sources said the makers are in two minds about accepting the A certificate, but have decided to exercise caution at the moment.

Lipstick stars Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur. It has been feted in the film festival circuit.