Censor troubles are not new to Indian films but the kerfuffle over Udta Punjab is a milestone in that it saw a rare unity in Bollywood to beat back the Central Board of Film Certification. But what was the fuss all about?
What is Udta Punjab all about?
'Udta Punjab' means 'flying Punjab', a reference to the phenomenon of drug abuse in Punjab, which has produced a mass socioeconomic upheaval in the state. The film has been made to spread awareness about the effects of drugs on youth and society in general.
Who are the lead stars?
The lead roles in the movie are played by Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh. They play, respectively, the roles of a rock star, a migrant from Bihar, a doctor and a cop who are have one common connection in this movie, which is drugs.
What's the issue with the Censor Board?
The profanities used in the film and close-up shots of injecting drugs are the main cause of issues with the Censor Board, or the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to give its full name. It initially came out with 94 cuts and 13 pointers in the film. These include the names of cities in Punjab, words like 'MLA', 'election', and a plethora of cuss words. It wanted no reference to Punjab in the first place.
How did it go to court?
A petition filed by a Punjab-based NGO, the Human Rights Awareness Association, stated that the film portrayed Punjab in a bad light and that it was unfit for public exhibition. On June 13, the Punjab and Haryana High Court heard the petition, and issued notice to the CBFC and the film's producers.
Why did the issue become political?
Punjab is going to have its Assembly polls in nine months and the Aam Aadmi Party is likely to make a strong showing on the back of the drug abuse issue. The party has accused the ruling Akali Dal of doing nothing to rein in the drug trade. The Sukhbir Singh Badal government of the Shiromani Akali Dal, an ally of the NDA government at the Centre, is against the film in its present form. It is aware that the film may feed the public anger over drug abuse.
Aam Aadmi boss Arvind Kejriwal says the BJP has instigated the Censor Board to stop the release of 'Udta Punjab'.
The issue had first escalated when the producer of the film Anurag Kashyap hit back at Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani for the 89 cuts that had been ordered before the release.
Kashyap has called Nihalani an "oligarch" and "dictator" and compared Indian conditions to that of living in North Korea. Kashyap got the support of several film makers including Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Ram Gopal Varma, Aamir Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Varun Dhawan and Mukesh Bhatt.
Who is Pahlaj Nihalani?
Pahlaj Nihalani is chairman of CBFC. A film distributor and producer himself, he is said to be friendly to the BJP regime at the Centre. He is a conservative who has taken a hardline stance on Udta Punjab and supported the cuts recommended in the film. His inflammatory statements have united the film fraternity, which calls Nihalani a stooge of the government. The Bombay High Court told Nihalani to "stop acting like a grandmother" and directed the CBFC to issue an ‘A’ certificate to the movie.
Who is Anurag Kashyap?
Anurag Kashyap is one of the producers of Udta Punjab. He is also a director, who is known for his hard-hitting films with scripts that do not blanch at using profanities aplenty. He has previously faced the ire of the Censor Board for his movies like the Gangs of Wasseypur and Black Friday.
What are the takeaways from the udta Punjab controversy?
First, it triggered a wide debate on how films should deal with contemporary social issues. Second, Bollywood unity forced the government to take another look at its censorship processes. Third, Union minister Arun Jaitley has promised radical reforms of the Censor Board.
What is the final outcome?
The case went up to the Supreme Court, which allowed the release of the film today, as per schedule, with only one scene cut: it's a scene in which Shahhid Kapoor's character is shown urinating. Some disclaimers too have been added. Amid all this, a 40-minute video with the Censor Board's name on it, has been leaked.