Either the Censor Board of Film Certification is getting stricter about handing out certificates or Kannada films are taking too many liberties with their storytelling, for more and more producers are seeking intervention by the Central Censor Board Committee in Mumbai as they are unhappy with decisions made by the local arm of the authority.
Recently, producers of Ayodhyapuram, which has been directed by V Lava and stars Rakesh Adiga, approached the Revising Committee of the Censor Board that attends to disputes on certification. Lining up after them are producers of Khatharnak, a film directed by Malavalli Saikrishna. It was initially titled Umesh Reddy and focusses on a rapist, Umesh, who is currently behind bars. When Umesh’s family objected, the title was changed to Khatharnak. The film now faces another hurdle as it has not only been awarded an ‘A’ certificate but also several of its scenes will need to be axed.
Producer Ramesh Vajreshwari is understandably upset. He says, “I understand the ‘A’ certificate but the number of cuts the Board has asked for will ruin the continuity of the film. What’s the use of releasing such a film? I thought I was raising awareness on sexual harassment faced by women and was sending out a message to society with this film, instead I have been plagued with problems from the day I started working on it. I wonder what difficulties lie ahead for me when I am ready to release it. Looks like making a film is a problem in itself. Rather than deal with the creative aspects of the process, filmmakers are ending up dealing with court cases, making frequent visits to the Chamber (Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce) and bracing for trouble until release day.”
K Nagaraj, regional officer, Censor Board of Film Certification, Bangalore, feels too much is being made out of the Board’s decisions. He says, “Both issues are different. In the case of Ayodhyapuram, they are contesting the category of the film. The Board insisted on dozens of cuts because a series of scenes showing sex and gore were not in good taste. However, the five members of the Board could not come to a unanimous conclusion. In such situations, the film is presented to the Board's chairperson. It is for him/her to recommend it to the Revising Committee for wider opinion and further verification. The chairperson will take a decision sometime now on whether the film needs to go to the Revising Committee or if it can be certified going by the majority’s opinion.”
Most producers feel that getting their film re-examined by the Revising Committee is a better option. Khatharnak’s Ramesh does not agree that his film is only about sex and violence. “We are putting across a real life incident of crime. We are not making movies for ourselves but for the audiences and this is a movie that will create awareness, so of course the facts associated with it will be gruesome,” he says.
Khatharnak features Ravi Kale and Roopika along with Ravi Verma, Sadhu Kokila, Shobha Raghavendra, Sharath Lohitashwa and Bullet Prakash. Apart from directing it, Malavalli has also penned its story, dialogues and screenplay. “We wanted to release the film by October end but it might get postponed. If everything goes well, we plan to release on November 15,” says Ramesh.