'Udta Punjab' row: Your job is to certify, not censor, Bombay HC tell CBFC
Arguments concluded in 'Udta Punjab' censorship row, Bombay High Court to pass order on June 13.
A day after seeking an explanation from the Censor Board over its insistence to delete the reference of Punjab in the drug-themed film, the Bombay High Court on Friday said that whether it is TV or cinema, let the people see it, since everybody has a choice.
A bench headed by Justice S C Dharmadhikari was hearing a petition filed by Phantom Films, producers of 'Udta Punjab' which is aggrieved by an order of the Revising Committee that suggested changes in the film before its release on June 17.
The court told the certification board that multiplex audience is mature enough. Sometime to open eyes of people to all this menace, things have to be show directly."
"You are certification board not censor board. People don't need censor they are biggest censors," the court said.
Justice Dharmadhikari compared 'Udta Punjab' with another film released earlier titled "Go, Goa, Gone" and said in that movie the state of Goa is shown as a place where people go to socialise in parties and also take banned drugs.
The hearing has been adjourned for the day, and the order will be pronounced on June 13.
(With inputs from correspondent Mustafa Plumber and ANI)
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Hearing on Udta Punjab adjourned to Monday. The judgement will be pronounced then.
HC to CBFC:
# Films don't run on such content, their has to be a story in it, why are you concerned?
# Multiplex audience are mature enough.
# Whether it is TV or cinema, let the people see it. Everybody has a choice.
# Sometime to open eyes of people to all this menace, things have to be show directly.
# You are certification board not censor board. People don't need censor they are biggest censors.
CBFC to HC
# If Shahrukh Khan's name is used as name of dog it will be objection just like they have used Jackie Chain.
# A cut suggested scene shows drugs being thrown from Pak side to India, this may create trouble as it accuses pak.
# Taking a holistic view of the film after cuts it does not change the fabric of the film which shows drug menace.
HC to CBFC
# This approach will not work generations to come will not be impressed.
# Don't be so critical we want creative people to survive and grow in this country.
CBFC lawyer to court:
# The words used in the songs are very offensive.
# The scenes in this movie which are cut are very vulgar.
# The dialogue "zameen banjar to aulaad kanjar" is also very abusive.
# The word "kanjar" is very offensive to use and the way it has been used is objectionable.
# "Kanjar" word used in the movie gives bad light to the state, Punjab is an "upjau" state.
# 'Kanjar' the word can be replaced.
# Don't have objections with the film, but the word "kanjar" and others used in the movies do not fit.
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