CBFC won’t clear ‘lady oriented’ film, Bollywood slams call
You can give the film an A certificate and willing and consenting adults will watch it. I don’t know why they (censor board) are taking decisions on everyone’s behalf
KONKONA SEN SHARMA, ACTOR
Mr. Nihalini has told me they won’t certify the film. The next step is to go to the tribunal ... I will see this to the end
ALANKRITA SHRIVASTAVA, FILMMAKER
The Censor Board’s refusal to certify Prakash Jha’s film, Lipstick Under My Burkha, came as a shock to the makers as well as others in the industry. A letter from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) citing the reason for the decision reads: “The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contanious sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography ... hence film refused under guidelines (sic).” Following this, actorfilmmaker Farhan Akhar posted on Twitter, “Below is the reason CBFC listed for denying #Lipstick UnderMyBurkha a release. Keep your barf bag ready (sic),” along with the letter from the CBFC. Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan posted, “@ alankrita601’s film #Lipstick UnderMyBurkha that won an award for gender equality is being mansplained over being ‘Lady oriented’. Irony! (sic).”
Director Alankrita Shrivastava says that they will now approach the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). “I went to meet Mr. Nihalani (Pahlaj Nihalani, CBFC chief) after the screening. He told me categorically that they have decided to not certify the film. So the next step is to go to the tribunal,” she says, adding, “I will see this thing to the end.”
The film, which stars actors Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, is about the lives of four women from different sections of society seeking freedom to fulfil their desires. Talking about the decision, Konkona says, “You can give the film an A certificate and willing and consenting adults will watch it. I don’t know why they (censor board) are taking decisions on everyone’s behalf. I feel that the guidelines need to be examined. We need to have more evolved and progressive guidelines.”