CBFC Comes Down Heavily On Phillauri’s Superstition & Ghost
Anusha Sharma’s second production Phillauri has encountered valid and legitimate roadblocks at the censor board.
The film satirizes superstition and blind faith by showing an NRIbeing married to a tree, and a ghost stalking the NRIthereafter.According to CBFC guidelines, superstitions are not to be promoted through cinema. However the film has been passed with one notable cut and with a ‘UA’ certification.
CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani defends the decision. “In my opinion it’s not the CBFC’s job to sit judgment on the content of film. We can only make amends in the presentation of the content. Not propagating superstition and blind faith falls in the jurisdiction of the State government. If we sat judgement over films on ghosts then we’d have to questions why classics like Mahal, Gumnam, WohKaun Thi andLekin were passed.”
The CBFC has asked the producers of Phillauri to add a lengthy disclaimer at the beginning saying they do not subscribe to any of the superstitions shown in the film nor do they believe in ghosts.