Censor Chief Slams Star CEO

A recent interview in which Star India’s CEO Uday Shankar has slammed  the Censor Board Of Film Certification(CBFC) calling the board excessively conservative,  has greatly incensed CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani.

Says  Pahlaj Nihalani angrily, “Mr Uday Shankar is completely cut off from ground reality. He talks of the censorboard as though it is an alien organization with outdated values. We know it is fashionable to pull down the CBFC. But being a chairperson  of theFICCI(Federation Of Indian Chambers Of Commerce & Industry) Frames, Mr Shankar should be more careful with his  facts.He claims the makers of Jolly LLB 2  had to go through trial runs with lawyers and doctors. The truth is, it was the honourable courts which had objections to the content. Uday Shankar claims the CBFC is getting over-conservative. If that was really the case films like Befikre, Ae DilHai Mushkil and Phillauri would not get certified with such minimal cuts.”

Nihalani condemns this constant criticism of the CBFC. “Whentrollers do it, it is understandable since they don’t know what the running of the CBFC entails. But a corporate helmer like UdayShankar lashing out at the CBFC is a shame. Please ask him to be in my shoes for just a week.He will know how difficult it is to balance out the CBFC guidelines with the creative demands of filmmakers. I also read Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s statement that the CBFCshould be revamped. I agree. He is part of Shri Shyam Benegal’s committee instituted for the revamp more than a year ago.Why have their revamp plans for the CBFC not fructified as yet?”