No entertainment factor in films like Jai Santoshi Maa: Bidita Bag

MUMBAI: Actress Bidita Bag, who features in "Babumoshai Bandookbaaz" -- which has been suggested 48 cuts by the censor board -- says if everyone makes movies like the devotional drama "Jai Santoshi Maa", there won't be any entertainment factor left.

"Film-making is a very serious business because in each film there are about 80 to 100 people involved and they run their houses through it. So, if we start making films like 'Jai Santoshi Maa', then there will be no entertainment factor left in the film, and how many people will go to watch the film," Bidita said here.

Her film "Babumoshai Bandookbaaz", in which she features with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, has been given an 'A' certificate by he Central Board of Film Certification and the movie's makers have been asked to make multiple cuts to remove lovemaking scenes and cuss words. 

The actress was speaking at a joint press conference hosted by the film's makers and members of the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) on Wednesday.

Director Kushan Nandy claimed the CBFC handed him a list of things it wanted removed from his film.

Bidita says the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is behaving like her grandparents.

"My grandparents always used to restrict me in terms of my food, clothing and watching preferences, so I feel censor board is acting in the same manner. Today, in our country, 70 per cent of our population is adult, but still they are told what to watch and what they shouldn't," she said.

"Today, the internet market has grown so big and we have no control over content of internet... If you see films of the 1980s and 1990s, there were many rape scenes in it and they had no issues showing rape scenes, but they have problem with lovemaking scenes. So, I feel censor board shouldn't control films like grandparents."

"They should just certify the film and shouldn't decide what adults should see and what they shouldn't because we live in democratic country," she said.

Nawazuddin, who plays the title role in "Babumoshai Bandookbaaz", said that the abusive words are justified as they add a local flavour to the character.

"Conditions like these will turn us into mechanical actors. A character will always use the language of the region where he belongs. It makes the character authentic. By using such means, we can add depth to a character -- like adding a local flavour. If we stop making films like these, then we will have no choice but to make the same clean films like the olden days," Nawazuddin said.

Hed added, "As an actor, I would say as much as a film is local, it will become global. If they are not going to let us make films properly, then the outcome on the international platform will be zero."

The film's director Kushan Nandy and producer Kiran Shroff do not wish to release the film with the cuts and have approached the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) to get their movie approved.