Showing posts with label Ravish Kumar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ravish Kumar. Show all posts
CBFC removes references to JNU, NDTV, Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid from Jahangir National University
9:36 AM
CBFC instructs makers of Jahangir National University to remove all references to JNU; mentions of NDTV, Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others to be dropped
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 17, 2024)
The Central Board of Film Certification found itself as the subject of much attention in April when it stalled the India release of Dev Patel’s Monkey Man. Now, in a move that may be seen by some as the Board trying to redeem itself, it has come down hard on director Vinay Mishra’s next, Jahangir National University. The film’s title is a blatant wordplay on the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, while its poster reads, ‘Can one university shake the nation?’ The Ravi Kishan and Piyush Mishra-starrer has been recently cleared by the CBFC with some crucial changes.
First things first, the film cannot be referred to as JNU, nor can it make references to the university. A source reveals, “All official material and dialogues that refer to either have to be tweaked. Additionally, the material or dialogues cannot name Nehru. Mentions of NDTV, journalist Ravish Kumar, politician Kanhaiya Kumar, activist Umar Khalid, and Jamia Millia Islamia University have been asked to be removed completely. The Board noted that their inclusions will be seen as defamatory and contemptuous.”
A song in the June 21 release was deemed to glorify violence, and hence, instructed to be deleted. We hear the CBFC has asked for a few more changes to underline that the movie is a work of fiction.
The source adds, “As per the CBFC’s instructions, clips from news channels and those featuring political leaders, MPs and other dignitaries have to be removed. The film also had posters of beef festivals, which have to be withdrawn. Since the makers maintain it is a fictitious story, the Board highlighted that it shouldn’t contribute to maligning institutions or people.”
Naseeruddin Shah recited a nazm for my first TV series-Anubhav Sinha
8:33 AM
Anubhav Sinha recalls after Naseeruddin Shah’s surprise visit on his set in the capital over the weekend
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 22, 2019)
Last Sunday, Anubhav Sinha had two guests on the sets of his next film, Thappad, which he is not only directing but jointly producing with Bhushan Kumar. One of them, Ravish Kumar, recipient of the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, was expected. The two are long-time friends and whenever the journalist is in Mumbai or the filmmaker is in Delhi, they make it a point to catch up. “I told him we were shooting in the capital, on Tolstoy Road, and he dropped by the next day,” recounts Anubhav.
It was the other visitor, Naseeruddin Shah, who took Anubhav by surprise. “It was the last day of the shoot and after ‘pack up’ we retired to a bungalow and discussed everything, from cinema to journalism and the world at large. Many from the team, who had earlier planned to make a quick getaway, hung around because it was a rare ensemble,” he smiles.
The filmmmaker regrets that he has not had a chance to work with Naseer yet despite having known him for three decades. “He recited a nazm by Gulzar saab for my first TV series, Shikast. When we met recently, I told him, ‘Aap mere saath shooting karne aaiye’ and he promised, ‘Jald hi aata hoon,’” Anubhav recounts, saying that now that he is done with Thappad, he is working on some scripts and if he can see a role for the actor in any of them, he will approach him. “If he agrees, it will be a privilege for me to direct him.”
Last year, after watching Mulk, which was about a Muslim family trying to reclaim lost honour after a kin turns to terrorism, Naseer had called Anubhav. “I was shooting for Article 15 at the time, and we spoke for a long time. He loved Mulk and had lots of good things to say about it. I consider that conversation my Oscar. My other Oscar came when Shyam Babu (Benegal) praised Article 15,” he exults. Has Naseer seen Article 15 yet? “No, but when Naseer bhai and Ratna ji (actress Ratna Pathak Shah) have the time, I’ll be happy to arrange a screening for them,” he says.
Meanwhile, he’s happy with the way his women-centric drama has translated on screen. “It’s still being edited, but Thappad is a good script and has a wonderful ensemble cast (Taapsee Pannu, Dia Mirza, Ratna Pathak Shah, Tanvi Azmi, Geetika Vaidya, Maya Sarao, Naila Grewal, Gracy Goswami). Their performances have shaped it into a good film,” he smiles with satisfaction. Point out that after Mulk and Article 15, the pressure is on to pull off a hat-trick and he groans, “There’s too much pressure and I don’t like it. I keep telling people not to take me seriously.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)