The Indian Censor Board or the Central Board of Film Certification has a very polarising effect on people. Although filmmakers have learnt to live with some of the seemingly bizarre decisions that the board has takenover the years, there are a few filmmakers who just cannot stand the thought of having to deal with the people running the censor board.
PTI
And for good reasons. Over the years, a number of great films have actually been ruined because of censorship. Now, we are not simply referring to the instances when the censor board recommended some major edits, and cuts in a film to let it pass.
Rather, we are looking at instances when the censor board played some games with issuing a certificate, or sometimes went a step further and indulged in some nefarious means, allegedly.
Balaji Motion Pictures
Here are 5 films that got screwed by the censor board in India, in some really nefarious ways.
IMDb
We know that Paanch was ultimately banned from public screening in theatres and on television. What many people do not know, is that it came very close to a release, albeit with an A certification. After about a year and half of being submitted, the board gave the filmmakers a list of changes that needed to be made to make the film feasible. The list of the changes was so exhaustive, that the films producer, Tutu Sharma, couldnt cough up the additional money required to make the changed. Remember, Rs 2-3 crores was a humongous amount, back in 2003, and Sharma had already invested that money in the film. There was no chance that he could invest any more. Of course, Anurag Kashyap, the films director wasnt happy.
Balaji Motion Pictures
The war between Anurag Kashyap and the CBFC is a long, and well documented one. However, the incidents that took place with Udta Punjab is on a different level. First, the censor board refused a certificate, unless a few banal changes were made. Kashyap took the CBFC to court, and surprisingly, he won. This is where things get interesting. The Bombay High Court, on the 13th of June, 2016 ordered the CBFC to give the film an A certificate and let it release as per schedule, i.e.on the 17th of June. On the 15th of June, two days prior to the day of release, the film was leaked on the internet, where it was picked up by a number of torrent websites. The leaked copy of the filmhad the words "FOR CENSOR" on the top-left corner of the frame. The producers of the film alleged that someone from the censor board leaked the film online. The leak hit the business prospects of the film hard. What was being built up as a Rs 100-200 crore film, barely managed to get across Rs 90 Crores.
Vice
Imagine making a documentary on Indian politics and being told, not to use the name, nor feature any political party, or a political figure, without written consent from the individual and the party involved. An Insignificant Man followed the 2012-2013 Delhi Elections, focusing on Arvind Kejriwal. The film was scheduled to get a release in 2015. However, the Censor Board refused to issue a certificate and told the filmmakers to get a NOC from the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, and several other people. The filmmakers refused and filed an appeal at the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal, which decided in their favour. The film was finally allowed to be released in 2017, about two years after it was scheduled.
Kaleidoscope Entertainment
Shekhar Kapoors Bandit Queen was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May of 1994, and received a resoundingly positive response. Many people considered that this would change how the world saw Indian Cinema. However, at home, the film did not sit well. The film was submitted to the CBFC in August 1994. After about a year, and several rounds going back & forth, the filmmakers were advised to make over 100 changes. They refused and approached the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal, which allowed the film as it was. The film was finally allowed a release in January 1996 but was taken down by the Delhi High Court after someone made an objection. After several cuts and tweaks, it was finally allowed to be re-released by the Supreme Court, in the form that the FCAT allowed it.
White Lion Entertainment
After some major hiccups during the making of the film, the film was finally ready for a release in 2012, which, due to some issues, eventually got pushed back to 2015. When it was finally submitted to the CBFC for a certificate, the board straight away banned the film. Upon appeal, the FCAT instructed the filmmakers to make 10 changes and resubmit the film for consideration. The filmmakers took the CBFC to court, and after two year-long battle, were finally allowed to release the film. Prior to the official submission to the censor board, the film also got leaked on the internet, where it was picked up by torrent websites.
There are several other films, which got mangled up badly when the CBFC took their proverbial scissors to them. However, as bad as they were, they were at least allowed a timely and proper release. Imagine how well Udta Punjab would have done, had it not been subjected to the internal politics of CBFC.
Photo: Balaji Motion Pictures (Main Image)
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5 Bollywood Movies That Were Ruined (Almost) By The Indian Censor Board - MensXP.com