India Censor Board, also referred as 'Sanskari Board' by many 'admirers' has done it again! The highly upheld film revision and certification panel has asked the makers of a 'filthy' film based on drugs, 'Udta Punjab', to remove all the references made to the state of Punjab from the film and base their film in some fictional place where drugs do happen.
How dare they defame the land of five rivers! The holy land where just a thought the 'D' word makes us a sinner? What would have we done without the supervision of highly independent moral police who keeps us at bay from reality. After all, films should not touch upon the unforeseen land of reality.
Perhaps this is what the CBFC assumes the audience to be like. Either the board is genuinely unaware of the changes happening in the film industry and has shut themselves in a cocoon of righteousness or it's an attention seeking committee who enjoys stealing the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
The film has been opposed by Shiromani Akali Dal led alliance state government which is apparently feeling uncomfortable with the way the drug problem of Punjab was being projected. According to them, that could harm the political interests of the Akalis in assembly polls in February next year. Now here comes the question, how can addressing a grave issue in state hamper their move for election? Punjab has been battling drug problem for years now, irrespective of which party was ruling the state. If the film is really dealing with the problem and making the youth aware about the repercussion of drugs, as a government it's their duty to promote such a topic so that the state could improve.
Politics has always governed the kind of ideology films propagate. After all, media is the biggest propagator every leader is aware of its role. Unfortunately, the case is still the same and an idea should please every 'ruling' body only then it can be passed. The 'for the', 'from the' and 'by the' people part is conveniently ignored often and personal motives take a front seat. It's the party people who seek ban, party people who protest when the film is released, party people who get to decide what public will see, in all this where is the say of the audience? The people dealing and suffering from the issue?
A film can't really cure the disease but help making people realise that people outside the state know their plight. Infact the makers of the film have tactically rope in Punjab's current favourite Diljit Dosanjh along with Bollywood A-List actors to drive home the point. Who else but Dosanjh to highlight a grave issue that exist in his own state?
In India the biggest fear is that of the society and their assumption. 'Udta Punjab' is not maligning the great land, but only making people aware of the problem and asking the state government to clean up. CBFC has its own guidelines and much has been said about it. Freedom of expression is a big right and everybody uses it as per their own convenience.
However being the board of righteousness, CBFC should understand that graver problems lie in the state than a mere commercial film that depicts reality. An industry that is known for misrepresenting or under-representing states and communities, is ready to show you the exact mirror of your current society. Accept it, improve it and then live in the glory of it.
As for Pahlaj Nihlani, the flag bearer of the 'righteous' board CBFC- Dharma Yudhishter the 'righteous ruler' once said, "True ignorance consists in not knowing one’s duties." Let him decide what his duties are.
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