Mumbai: Veteran actor Anupam Kher has joined the debate over ‘Udta Punjab’ and became the latest celebrity to lend support to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap in his fight with CBFC over his upcoming film.
An upcoming movie Udta Punjab portraying drug addiction in India’s north west is sparking a confrontation between one of Bollywood’s best-known filmmakers, the country’s censor board, and political parties.
The Central Board of Film Certification said that Udta Punjab, a drug-themed crime thriller that is due to be released June 17, needs cuts because it casts the state of Punjab in a bad light by depicting the drug habits of its people, and gives the impression that most of them are addicts.
“We couldn’t allow Punjab to be damned and labeled a drug haven,” Pahlaj Nihalani, the head of the film board, was reported as saying by national daily Hindustan Times in an interview.
A member of the 18-strong CBFC board, however, said Mr. Nihalani asked for 92cuts.
The 61-year-old actor hit out at CBFC via his tweet “CBFC’s role in Udta Punjab Controversy is most shocking. Cinema is a reflection of society. Sometimes a portrayal can help bring a change”.
Even HC yesterday came questioned CBFC over censor board’s extra critical attitude towards the film. “How can you remove words like MP, MLA and election” the court asked CBFC.
Earlier celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Karan Johar have voiced their support for the team of ‘Udta Punjab’, saying that there should be certification not censorship.