Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 31, 2019)

Meghna Gulzar is elated as her upcoming directorial outing, Chhapaak, based on an acid attack survivor, starring Deepika Padukone, has been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a U certificate and zero cuts. For the filmmaker, this is “immensely” validating for the artiste in her. “This validation by the CBFC — that everyone should be able to see this film — is a valuable encouragement, particularly for a film like Chhapaak, which could easily be perceived as difficult and graphic,” she says.

She goes on to share, “Fortunately, for me, all my films have been passed without a cut. There may have been a dialogue here and there that had to be replaced. But no cuts were requested. It leads me to believe that, like the audience, even the CBFC recognises the intent behind a film and its makers. If the intent is honest and clear, they won’t restrict a film’s creative expression.”

Ask her if she had to tone down a few scenes in the film, keeping in mind the CBFC, and she replies, “Not really. However, from the get-go, the team and I decided that Chhapaak must be a visually aesthetic experience, otherwise it will undo the purpose of making the film. We had to tread a fine line between ‘not sugar-coating it’ and ‘making it palatable for the viewers’. And that’s the sensibility we followed.”

Meghna is a firm believer in the freedom of creative expression. “Like any creative person, freedom of creative expression is important to me. But the responsibility that comes with that freedom is as important, if not more,” she concludes.