Nothing new or shocking: Pahlaj Nihalani's response to Dangal's ban in Pakistan won't amuse Aamir Khan!

Dangal,it seems, is not going to be released in Pakistan. The Pakistani censor board wanted the Indian national anthem removed from the climax of the film. The patriot in Aamir Khan has risen in revolt. Satyamev Jayate to that. 

When contacted, director Nitesh Tiwari who is out of the country said he was on the same page as Aamir Khan on this. “Even the thought of cutting out the national anthem is completely unacceptable. However I am curious to know what is  the reason given for such a demand.”

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has a cogent and comprehensive take on the Pakistani perception of patriotism. “It’s very simple. Our national anthem which gives every Indian goosebumps, is our national anthem. It’s constitutionally unacceptable across the border for our anthem to be played in their country. There is nothing new or shocking in this.”

Nihalani says the same perception of Pakistani nationalism governs Indian censorship laws. “We do not allow shots of the Pakistani flag. And we’d not let the Pakistani national anthem play in any cinema shown in our country.”

He  makes a very interesting observation about international censorship laws. “In Britain, the censor board doesn’t allow abusive words or bloodied violence. Here in India, we are bullied by the so-called liberal filmmakers into allowing profanities and violence. If we don’t, we are called conservative government’s stooges. In foreign countries, the censor board is truly an independent apex body. In India, we are helpless pawns in the hands of the pseudo-liberals.”