More than censor board, Bollywood needs to grow up, says Pooja Bhatt

While the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has been facing fire from all quarters for its recent decisions, actor-filmaker Pooja Bhatt (right) says the film industry too has a lot of growing up to do.

“The film industry is still like a child. The number of people you need to fight with in your own community before you even get to that stage (the censor board) is not funny. I think there is a lot of growing up that the film industry has to do first,” Pooja says.

Over the last few months, the censor board has faced flak for banning films like Unfreedom, and for issuing diktats on film content or statutory warnings. The actor, who has often featured in films such as Sadak (1991), and Zakhm (1998), which were bold and ahead of their time, adds that the film fraternity should join hands over issues and not focus on “own battles” alone. “We only fight our own battles... I think somewhere along the line, we need to understand that,” says the daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, Pooja was considered one of the boldest stars of her time, thanks to her controversial body painted avatar act at the age of 17 for late fashion photographer, Gautam Rajadhyaksha. That boldness transpired into her films as well. “When we did Jism or Sadak, people said that it won’t work. But it did and who accepted it? The audience did. They were always ready; it is the people making the movies who believe that they are not ready. We need to grow up,” she says.

Pooja will also re-enter the acting arena, but will pick roles that suit her. “I’d like to play a woman who is my age and who looks exactly like me right now. I don’t want to pretend to be a 25-yearold girl or a 32-year-old woman. And I want to do something I’ve never done before — say something evil or sexual,” she adds.

Pooja Bhatt, actor-filmmaker We only fight our own battles... I think we need to kind of understand that