Pahlaj Nihalani: Please do not attack the CBFC because it is considered trendy to do so
| Feb 26, 2017, 12:59 IST
The members of Central Board of Film Certification are currently facing flak for denying the censor certificate to Alankrita Shrivastava's 'Lipstick Under My Burkha'. There has been a lot of outrage against the members of CBFC, but towards the chairperson of CBFC, Pahlaj Nihalani in particular.
When DNA reached out to Pahlaj Nihalani regarding the denial to issue a certificate, Nihalani said, "First of all, we didn’t ban the film Lipstick Under My Burkha. The Examining Committee saw the film and refused to certify it. Now, the Revising Committee has also refused to certify the film. The film’s producer, Prakash Jha, says he will go to the Tribunal of the censor board. He knows the procedure. He has been through it with many of his films, including his last Jai Gangaajal. So what’s the fuss about?”
Pointing out that CBFC in past has liberal about their ratings, and has given a U/A to Rangoon recently. Pahlaj said, "We are sneered at here for being sanskari and over-conservative. But we’ve been more liberal in the censor certification of films like Befikre, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Rangoon than many countries abroad. But of course, no one notices when we’re liberal. Labelling us primitive and over-conservative is far more fashionable than discovering that we can be more liberal than the so-called first-world countries.”
Clarifying CBFC's stand to not issue a certificate, Pahlaj said, "There have been stories about how the CBFC has objections to the word ‘Burkha’ in the title Lipstick Under My Burkha. This is completely wrong. We never expressed any reservations about the title. We’ve no objections to women wearing lipstick under a burkha. But the film shows these women doing unmentionable things."
"If some sections think this is a progressive behaviour, gender equality and women’s empowerment then I pity the generations to come,” the censor chief added.
(Also Read: Labelling it as a woman-oriented film, CBFC refuses to certify 'Lipstick Under My Burkha')
Recently Pahlaj also took to his social media to express his views, Pahlaj tweeted:
When DNA reached out to Pahlaj Nihalani regarding the denial to issue a certificate, Nihalani said, "First of all, we didn’t ban the film Lipstick Under My Burkha. The Examining Committee saw the film and refused to certify it. Now, the Revising Committee has also refused to certify the film. The film’s producer, Prakash Jha, says he will go to the Tribunal of the censor board. He knows the procedure. He has been through it with many of his films, including his last Jai Gangaajal. So what’s the fuss about?”
Pointing out that CBFC in past has liberal about their ratings, and has given a U/A to Rangoon recently. Pahlaj said, "We are sneered at here for being sanskari and over-conservative. But we’ve been more liberal in the censor certification of films like Befikre, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Rangoon than many countries abroad. But of course, no one notices when we’re liberal. Labelling us primitive and over-conservative is far more fashionable than discovering that we can be more liberal than the so-called first-world countries.”
Clarifying CBFC's stand to not issue a certificate, Pahlaj said, "There have been stories about how the CBFC has objections to the word ‘Burkha’ in the title Lipstick Under My Burkha. This is completely wrong. We never expressed any reservations about the title. We’ve no objections to women wearing lipstick under a burkha. But the film shows these women doing unmentionable things."
"If some sections think this is a progressive behaviour, gender equality and women’s empowerment then I pity the generations to come,” the censor chief added.
(Also Read: Labelling it as a woman-oriented film, CBFC refuses to certify 'Lipstick Under My Burkha')
Recently Pahlaj also took to his social media to express his views, Pahlaj tweeted: