Censor Chief Pahlaj Nihalani accuses board members of misrepresenting facts

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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USA: Free $30 Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…The chairperson of the Censor Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) is livid. Having kept quiet and in his words, "silently going about my job", Pahlaj Nihalani was initially amused then exasperated by some of the lies that were being spread about his so-called authoritarian ways.

Now Mr. Nihlani has had enough of what he calls "those blatant lies". He won't take the allegations lying down and is ready to resign if they are proved right.

About the film Unfreedom which has allegedly been "banned" personally by Mr. Nihalani the Chairperson says, "The film has not been sent to us for certification. It was sent to Mrs. Leela Samson and her team in November 2014 and at that point of time the film was called Blemished Light. It was refused certification by the Examining Committee because of the controversial theme, shots of full frontal nudity and lesbian love-making. It was then referred to the Revising Committee by the applicant and it was passed with cuts. But the applicant went to the Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal. It was seen by the Tribunal on February 15. However the Tribunal upheld the order of the Examining Committee, and refused to certify the film, thereby keeping aside the order of the Revision Committee."

Nihalani wants to know where he comes into all of this. "The film Blemished Light, or Unfreedom as it is now called, was sent for certification before my tenure. It has nothing to do with me. I am being accused of being a tyrant. Board members say I watch every film in my chamber. The fact is, since I took over as the chairperson in January I've seen and certified only two films Focus (Will Smith) and NH10 personally. The allegation that I see EVERY film is false and malicious."

Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more

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