OM PURI’S LAST FILM CLEARS CENSORS, MAY HIT SCREENS SOON
Overruling the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) refusal to certify late actor Om Puri’s last film, Rambhajjan Zindabad, the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has recommended an adult certification for the film with the new title Omprakash Zindabad.
The film was denied certification ostensibly for being “a satire on rape”, for “explicit and abusive language”, and for references to “castes and communities”.
In its order, the FCAT, a tribunal that hears the appeals filed by film makers or producers who are aggrieved by the CBFC’s orders, also reproached the CBFC for denying certification to films that are eligible for ‘A’ (Adult) certificate.
“…We commend to the CBFC that if a movie examined by it is capable of receiving certification with certain cuts, deletions, modifications and or additions in the disclaimer, then the CBFC may consider apprising the appellant of the same,” the FCAT has said in its order.
As many as 19 cuts and edits have been made to the film, which was slated for a January release; among these are muting the words “izzat” (honour) “petticoat” and replacing the words “forward and backward” with “amir and gareeb” (rich and poor).
In April, the FACT had come to the rescue of ‘Lipstick Under by Burkha’ a film based on the theme of women’s sexuality, which had been denied certification on similar grounds— the language was abusive and that it was demeaning to women—by the CBFC.