Scrap the Censor Board then: Pahlaj Nihalani slams Examining Committee over 'Jai Gangaajal' cuts

The newly-revamped Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), which looks at films rejected by the Examining Committee (EC) and/or the Revising Committee (RC) of the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) has again struck down the decision of Censor Chief Pahlaj Nihalani.

The Tribunal has upturned all the drastic verbal and visual cuts in Prakash Jha’s Jai Gangaajal barring two of what Nihalani sarcastically calls, token cuts. This is the second time in two weeks that the Tribunal has snubbed the EC’s decision. Earlier, Vikram Bhatt’s Love Games was also given a clean chit by the Tribunal.

Nihalani isn’t taking the snub lying down. He fumes, “I am shocked that Prakash Jha’s film has been given a ‘UA’ by the Tribunal with practically no cuts. The film’s content violates practically all the guidelines that the Board is supposed to follow. There are scenes of gruesome brutality and dialogues that are clearly not meant for children. Yet, the Tribunal has opted to give the film a ‘UA’ certificate. That means children can watch the scenes of graphic violence and learn new abusive words.”

About the cuts made by the EC being restored by the Tribunal Nihalani says, “This is the second time the Tribunal has upturned the EC’s decision. If this is going to be the trend, why have the Censor Board? We’re being ridiculed. Let them scrap the CBFC.” Jha said he was happy with the Tribunal’s decision. “I feel reassured that good sense eventually prevails.”Jha’s advice for Nihalani? “He should go to the court against the Tribunal’s order!”