Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani lashed out at the actor who called the former a 'spent force'.
Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani is angry about all the allegations that have been hurled at him, and the piracy rumours at his doorstep. Not in the mood to take it lying down, he lashed out at Manoj Bajpayee, who called him a “spent force” and other detractors like Anurag Kashup. Read on...
Manoj has spoken against you. He thinks you are a spent force. Comment.
Bajpayee saab feels so strongly about me? He is such a busy actor. And he still has time to study my career graph. I am deeply moved. But if I am a spent force and I need to retire, then it means I’ve been working all these years. Nearly 45 years as a producer and filmmaker. I am still waiting for Manoj Bajpayee’s career to start.
But he has been part of many acclaimed films?
Acclaimed, yes. But by whom? The film industry? There’s a group of filmmakers in Mumbai comprising self-styled geniuses like Hansal Mehta, Tigmanshu Dhulia and above all, Anurag Kashyap, who make films that are praised to the skies by their colleagues and a handful of learned critics. However, the theatres showing their films open empty and close empty. Are you aware of how much money Anurag Kashyap lost to his producers close to `300 crore have been lost through his flop pictures like Ugly, Bombay Velvet and Raghav Raman 2.0. He still continues to make films!
Why do you say that Manoj’s career has not even started?
Apart from Satya, which was a very good film, Manoj has not featured in any hits in the 10-12 years of his career. Who is he to talk about my career? He should worry about his own. Manoj is talking about the CBFC to promote his new film. This is his desperate method of getting media space.
Manoj also says the CBFC has always been a problem to the our films?
What problems has the CBFC created for the great Manoj Bajpayee? His last release Aligarh got a clearance out-of-turn because his director and supporters pushed the film as a masterpiece. But we realise it’s a mistake to treat films differently on the basis of the film industry’s perception or the filmmaker’s track record. Because if we allow guidelines to be flaunted by Aligarh or Udta Punjab we have to do the same for Mastizaade and Great Grand Masti.
How did the CBFC pass Great Grand Masti without any cuts?
We did not. The CBFC refused certification to Great Grand Masti. We found the content extremely vulgar. So they took the film to the Tribunal which restored all the cuts and asked them to make voluntary cuts. The producers made a few token cuts and that’s how the film was passed.
A lot of your detractors think your tenure as CBFC chief is over?
I am here as long as the Government wants me. The day they ask me to step down I’d do so happily. Until then my detractors are welcome to fantasise.
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 "Pahlaj Nihalani and Manoj Bajpayee")
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