Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 13, 2016)

So Ranveer Singh’s butt is finally on display. It had to be in a Yash Raj film. When you are the biggest banner in Bollywood you can get away with bikini-clad heroines in every film and now repeated lingerie shots of the heroine (a lingerie peek in Baar Baar Dekho was censored) and even a butt-shot of Ranveer Singh in Befikre.

Says critic Raja Sen, “It is just a matter of clout. If Mr Nihalani thinks it’s okay for people to kiss in Europe, why did he object to James Bond and Monica Bellucci kissing in Spectre? This CBFC has shown complete inconsistency and arbitrariness in their rulings. Everyone should be measured by the same yardstick.”

Censor chief Pahlaj Nihalani says it (the butt) was put in “a context” and also, a mere fleeting glance. “We shortened Ranveer Singh’s butt shot quite a lot. Right now it’s just a glimpse, no more. What’s wrong with it? He is alone with his girlfriend in a room. They are doing what couples do when they are alone. Why is a butt shot objectionable? We’ve allowed butt shots in some recent Hollywood films. Also in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Jail.”

Nihalani also rises to the film’s smooching spree’s defence. “See, unlike Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Spectre or Tamasha where the kisses were done in lengthy shots, in Befikre the kisses are scattered and largely fleeting and all over the place. They are part of the narration. As a filmmaker, I know what can be cut without hampering the flow of the narrative. In Befikre there is no way we could cut the kisses without interrupting the flow of the story. Aditya Chopra has treated the kisses as part of the story. If we removed the kisses we’d be hampering the storytelling.”

He reveals that the kisses have been curtailed where they could. “We’ve cut all the close-ups of the kisses and the climactic kiss has been reduced by 50 per cent. The rest we couldn’t cut for apprehension of being accused of creative interference.”

Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for I&B, addresses issues involving CBFC Chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani and the FTII, reveals that a new Cinematography Act is in the works and the plans to completely digitalise censorship by 2020
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 23, 2015)

Anil Thakraney (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 22, 2015)

If there's one thing a section of Bollywood badly wants, it's to censor out the Chairman of the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification). Some of the firmans issued by the Board have been regressive, often outrageous. There is revolt brewing within, and there are allegations bossman Pahlaj Nihalani is a stooge of the current central government. Nihalani doesn't even try to conceal his affection for Modi, in fact, he's just put out a film that has some audiences in cinema halls make a beeline for the snack bar. Nihalani is a veteran movie producer, he's been making and distributing films for over four decades. Most of his films didn't really delight film critics, and he's so far lived a low profile life. But his tenure as the Censor Board chief has pushed him into the spotlight. Most of the comments one reads about his work aren't flattering. Here he is in an exclusive interview with Anil Thakraney bravely trying to defend the assorted controversies he's been embroiled in.

You want to make a film on the FTII students?
I am planning to. I am concerned about the students, because after all, these young people will come into the film industry. And the industry needs good people from the FTII. I want the students to focus on their work, and so my film won't be against the students. But what the students are doing today (the protests) is not good. My film will be based on FTII's working system, and the politics behind it.

They are very angry with you. You've called these students 'anti-national'.
I was misquoted. I called those people who are returning their awards as anti-government. And some of these students are being instigated by filmmakers who are anti-government.

How do you think you are suited for the job of the censor chief?
I don't know, they have always chosen a person from the film industry. I have been in this industry for 50 years. I write my films, I direct, I produce. So my work has given me the job. I have a personal experience of how movies get certified, I have served as a president of the industry body in the past.

And maybe because you are tough on vulgarity and obscenity?
I am not tough on anything, otherwise all films would have been rejected. Under my chairmanship, hardly any movie goes into the revising committee. We clear movies at the first step itself. We are more liberal than the previous board.

Then there is the issue of conflict of interest. As a film distributor, you can be biased when it comes to clearing movies.
Does that mean I stop doing my business because I have an honourary CBFC job? I don't watch the movie unless they come up to the revising committee. And people know I have a clean image and a tough working system. I will never make a film where there is conflict of interest.

What guidelines do you operate with for censoring films?
Times have changed, we now have the digital platform and social media. People want to project whatever is in their mind to the public. Look at the case of the James Bond film. They are making fun of it as 'Sanskaari Bond'. Someone put out a wrong story, social media picked it up and they have damaged the film and its producer. In the last two Bond films, they did not allow any intimate scenes. And we allowed them to show the kiss in Spectre. I accept that there should be a change in guidelines according to today's youth. However, to satisfy that, we have to change the ratings system completely. I recommend new categories: 12, 12+, 15, 15+, A, A+ and A++. That way even parents come to know exactly what kind of films their child is watching.

Wow, that's a long list. This will cause even more confusion, and many films which get A and above will lose revenues from television rights.
If they want to make such kind of movies, then they have to forget different revenues. If you are so confident of your work, why are you dependent on television revenue? At least they will fulfill their need for freedom of expression.

There is a contradiction in what you say. On one hand you say times are changing, and at the same time you want to introduce even more categories. I think the CBFC should become liberal in the internet age. People can watch hard porn at the click of a button.
That is not in my hands, I am nobody to change guidelines, that's up to the government. I have to follow rules and regulations that are in place. In any case we cannot allow people to do whatever they want.

But do you personally agree with me?
No, I don't. There has to be a Lakshman Rekha. Few thousand people on Twitter don't know what India is. India is a land where people put Gangajal on their face. Aap chahte ho aise desh mein sab free ho? Even if some producers decide to put their films only on the digital platform, the government will definitely introduce censorship.

Speaking of Spectre, surely Bond would kiss beautiful women he encounters, he isn't going to say Namaste to them.
So why didn't people object to the earlier Bond films? There was not a single kiss shown in Skyfall. That time no one thought of the sanskaari thing? We have passed the kiss! We only asked them to reduce the duration by 20 seconds.

I don't get this logic. A kiss is a kiss. Ten seconds or one minute.
(Gets angry). This means you want to do sex in your house with your door open. And show to people the way you are doing sex.

We are talking about a kiss, not mating.
(Gets more angry) You are asking the same question again and again. You have any further questions or not?

Let's talk about the list you put out earlier this year on banned cuss words, though you later withdrew it.
That was Ashoke Pandit (CBFC board member) spreading wrong information and creating panic in the industry.

You had signed that order.
That issue is over, the list has been withdrawn by the Board, it was an internal matter, it should never have gone to the public.

The reason I mention the list is I can understand to some extent that you have a problem with words like 'fuc***' and 'a**h**e'. But that list featured Bombay too as a no-no. Since when did Bombay become a vulgar word?
There is a guideline from the Maharashtra government. From 1995 the name has changed to Mumbai, you cannot use the old name anymore. We will not allow anyone to use Bombay in any film that's set in the period post 1995.

Sure, but that doesn't make it a bad word.
We have to follow policies of a state where the hub of Bollywood is located.

I suspect you were trying the please the Sena, BJP's ally.
You have a wrong perception.

Onto your new Modi film. The treatment is quite shoddy. You could have at least made it with a little finesse.
That is your feeling, your taste. (In a sarcastic tone.) You are a genius, I am not a genius. I have made the film with full conviction and quality. I have used the best people, best technicians.

Has Modi sent you a thank you note?
No. I sent him a note that I was doing this video. He was busy with his work, I did not get a response. I made the film with my own money, it's my love for the prime minister.

The film is on India, but you have used shots from foreign countries.
I am showing you the future of India in the film. How our smart cities will be like.

Then the song should have been 'Aisa mahaan hoga mera Bharat'.
Are you saying those people clapping in the cinema halls are fools? You have to understand cinema, don't go by a few people on Twitter. People are respecting it, like a national anthem.

And that man with a skull cap. Did you have to stereotype Muslims?
(Annoyed.) I don't want to know your point of view, I have to see what the masses like, I have to identify the character. When you make a film, you have to see the larger picture. When I have shown the nation in a positive way, you have an objection. And you want cuss words to be allowed!

Since when did you become a Modi fan?
I have seen his dedication for the nation from when he was not even a chief minister. I have seen his work, I have seen his body language. He is one leader who can run this country.

Last question. In 1994 you made a film called Andaaz. I saw Anil Kapoor pulling his lungi, desperately trying to get Juhi Chawla into bed, as the song went, 'Khada hai, khada hai, khada hai.'
That movie was cleared by the censors. Then some politicians raised an objection and got the movie banners removed. The movie then went to the ministry, and they cleared it as well. Even then I offered to burn the negatives. Finally I removed the song from the film.

The point is, why would you even shoot such a vulgar song?
Don't ask me, it's my freedom of expression. And why aren't you talking about my other films?

The answer is simple: When Pahlaj Nihalani was making his films, he was having fun. But he won't allow others to do the same. Double standards?
Did we not clear Masaan? And Margarita with a Straw? You have double standards in your mind.

James Bond’s latest outing faced the Indian Censor Board’s snip. Will the decision hamper the market for international films in India?
Anirban Das (MID-DAY; November 22, 2015)

Several Bollywood filmmakers have faced a tough time dealing with the objection raised over content in films by The Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Be it inserting anti-smoking advertisements in film, chopping intimate scenes or removing a few words or dialogues, the CBFC’s actions have raised many eyebrows time and again with their decisions. The latest film that has come under the Censor Board’s scanner is the new James Bond franchise, Spectre. The makers of the film had to cut short the length of a kissing scene and remove a few words like ba** s and as**** e, in order to get a U/ A certificate for the film.

In the past In 2013, renowned filmmaker Woody Allen, too, had a tough time dealing with the Censor Board. Woody was asked to include an anti-smoking advertisement in his film, Blue Jasmine. The filmmaker had refused and his film did not release in India. It was a loss for exhibitors and distributors in India.

However, the James Bond team had to oblige as they apparently didn’t have the time to approach the Revising Committee of the CBFC. “I personally do not endorse the idea of whatever the makers of Spectre had been asked to edit or remove. I am a member of the revising committee and the examining committee has taken the decision. The makers could have approached the revising committee to seek help, but they didn’t. I think the entire Censor Board should not be blamed. There are people in the system who do not understand cinema and are implementing stupid rules and because of them, the entire body is being blamed,” says Nandini Sardesai of the CBFC, adding, “I have requested filmmakers to approach the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to discuss their grievances and bring a change in the way the Censor Board works today.”


Another film stuck Spectre is not the only film that’s faced censor trouble in the recent past. Knock Knock, directed by Eli Roth, had released in the USA in October, but is still stuck with the Censor Board. “I had edited out a few nudity scenes to get a certificate from the Censor Board. But, the examining committee had problems with a few scenes. So, I went to the revising committee and it cleared my film without any cuts. However, I am yet to receive a certificate for the film. Its release has been pushed by two months. I am hoping to get a certificate at the earliest and planning to release the film in January 2016. But, the pirated version of the film is already available online,” says Manish Dutt, who has the rights to distribute Knock Knock in India.

Dutt has invested $ 2,000 to distribute the film in India and has suffered a huge loss. In fact, he had also faced problems with the makers of the film, Knock Knock. “The makers are unhappy as I edited out a few nude scenes. They did not want the film’s creativity to be affected. But what do I do when the Censor Board here reacts so differently from what they expect? I had invested $ 2,000 and want to recover the amount. I had no choice,” explains Dutt.

Loss for audience
In the whole conflict, it’s Indian audiences that will be affected. The viewers might just be restricted from viewing global cinemas in the big screen. “International filmmakers are very particular about whatever is there in the film and are against any force which affects their creativity. In the past, filmmakers have not released their films in India. And if the Censor Board’s approach remains the same, there is a possibility of more films not being released here. The audiences will not get to experience movies in the big screen,” says film exhibitor, Akshaye Rathi.

Interestingly, it will also lead to a growing market for piracy. “In this day and age of digitalisation, if people want to watch a movie and if it is not releasing in theatres, they will download the pirated version. This will not help anyone. There should be a change in the system to avoid such a thing,” adds Rathi.

A dying market?
While it is believed that international filmmakers do not encourage any kind of censorship that affects a film’s creative appeal, people in the trade fear that the growing market for international films in India might just take a beating. “Hollywood filmmakers will not oblige any kind of censorship which they would believe unnecessary. They will not release films in India if it continues. It will become extremely difficult for distributors to function in such a market,” says Dutt.

However, it has been a growing market so far. “Many Hollywood films have done extremely well in India. There is a lot of audience for international movies and it will only increase. But, Censor Board troubles can affect the growing market. International filmmakers will not mind not releasing films in India because it’s not the biggest market, but it will be a huge loss for us,” says Rathi.

Against censorship
Filmmakers in Bollywood, too, believe that the Censor Board’s approach will affect creativity and market for films in India. However, it seems that there isn’t much that can be done. “The I&B Ministry is not ready to have a dialogue. We have approached them to discuss our concerns over Censor Board issues, but the ministry has not responded,” says film producer Mukesh Bhatt.

Expressing his grievances over the Censor Board’s decisions, Bhatt says, “India is a miniscule market and if they (international filmmakers) feel that there creative space is getting destroyed in the country which is not growing with the changing times, they won’t release films here. Renowned filmmakers from across the globe who have certain respectability for the content that they make will not get into discussion with the authorities here. If a kiss is not pornography and not a threat to national security, then why is the Censor Board cutting it? While this country talks about being progressive, its actions are regressive.”

Another independent filmmaker Onir also echoes Bhatt’s sentiments. “We have seen kissing scenes even in Bollywood films. But, the issues that the examining committee raises are not acceptable. It’s depriving the audience of a complete experience of watching a film and deters filmmakers to release films in India.”

Talking about the losses that the Indian market is facing because of Censor Board issues, Jiten Hemdev, president, Foreign Film Chamber of India, says, “When our audiences know that the Censor Board here has cut out a few scenes, they do not watch the film in theatres. They instead opt for a no-cut online and it is easily available since it hasn’t been edited abroad. We suffer huge losses because of it.”

Hemdev himself has faced a censorship problem recently. “A few days ago, I had gone to the Censor Board to get a U/A certificate for the film, Colombiana, starring Zoe Saldana. I am distributing the film in the South. But, the censor folk asked me to remove a scene that shows an actress in a bikini. I am surprised.”

Two smooches cut by half, language sanitised to make him 'sanskari', franchise even loses its 'animal' to Indian censors
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 19, 2015)

Joginder Tuteja (DNA; September 8, 2015)


If only. Sunny Deol isn’t in as generous a mood and is sticking to the Diwali date for the release of Ghayal Once Again. “Sunny had decided the date months ago and has quietly been shooting his film, since. Moreover, he’s returning as a director and this will be a home production to boot, so this is definitely a passionate project for him. He may have not made any noise through the shooting schedules, but that doesn’t mean the film isn’t progressing. In fact, the post- production is on in full swing and the publicity material of the film would be out soon too,” says our source.

Moreover, sequels are doing great business (Welcome Back’s opening figures are testimony to that) and Ghayal Once Again will become the first Bollywood sequel to returns 25 years after the first film. It’s also a sequel, in the true sense of the term as the story continues from the first film (with Soha Ali Khan as a new inclusion).

“This means that it would be one of the biggest clashes this Diwali,” a trade expert adds, “It is a given that Salman Khan would enjoy a huge opening with his Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. However, if Ghayal Once Again is indeed arriving alongside then it would be a clash to look out for since Sunny is expected to fire all cylinders with this one. From what I hear, the film mixes a lethal dose of action and drama, something that made the Rajkumar Santoshi film special way back in 1990. It may well be the most powerful sequel being made. For the audience, it would be a treat this Diwali to see both Salman and Sunny in action.”

We hope so, too.