Screenwriter Niranjan Iyengar was rather direct in his comment when he said: “If we applied the same censorship rules to our politics, 95 percent of our politicians will have to shut shop!”
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He also asserted he never said that the movie must not be released in Punjab, saying the movie highlighted the problems in the state and that now it had been cleared by the CBFC, it can be seen by everyone across the nation.
Bollywood actor-producer Aamir Khan, known for raising his voice on social causes, on Wednesday said “Udta Punjab” is attempting to convey a “good social message” about drug abuse, and so demanding cuts in its narrative reflects badly on the censor board.
While Udta Punjab is facing censor board troubles, Bollywood is standing firmly by its side.
Sudhir Mishra applauded the fact that the film community is standing together on the Udta Punjab issue.
As if the Censor Board ordering as much as 90 cuts in the movie and also requesting that the word Punjab is removed from the title was not enough, there seems to be a tiff surfacing between co-producers Phantom and Balaji Motion Pictures.
Earlier, Nihalani said that the film has been passed, but with certain cuts. “I am optimistic that he must have taken the decision as per the norms”, Chauhan told ANI in an exclusive interview.
“It is unfortunate that we have to justify the integrity and honesty with which we have made Udta Punjab“, said Anurag Kashyap, adding, “this has become a regular process of delaying a film for so long that filmmakers are bullied to accept cuts”.
“It is not a Hindi film at all”, he said defending the cuts issued for the Kareena Kapoor-Shahid Kapoor starrer.
The Abhishek Chaubey-directed movie is in the middle of a censorship row and while its makers are battling with the board, political parties have alleged that Nihalani acted under the direction of the state government.
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Meanwhile, AAP has asked Pahlaj Nihalani to apologise to Anurag Kashyap for insinuating that he was paid money by them.
