Prasoon Joshi Armtwisted Into Passing Lurid Varanasi Tale, Outrage Within The CBFC

CBFC chairperson  Prasoon  Joshi is apparently “extremely unhappy” about the censor  certification of Dr Chandraprakash Diwedi’s Mohalla Assi, a film long banned by the CBFC for its potentially inflammatory statements and  content  pertaining  to the Holy city of Varanasi

Apparently Joshi was vehemently opposed to the film being passed, as it makes lewd profane comments on the tourists who form a large part of Varanasi’s fluid population . There are are also snide comment  on Gods and godliness.

A  member  of  the CBFC on condition of anonymity reveals, “Most of us were completely against Mohalla Assi being passed. It makes very derogatory references to Varanasi and its  people. Sunny Deolwho is puritan purehearted Jat  and has  never uttered a single abuse on screen in his  entire career, is heard  giving filthy gaalis in  the film.And Saakshi Tanwar with her  clean family image  of  the dutifulBahu in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, is here heard mouthing the most embarrassing profanities.We wonder what  got  into them to do such a  film.And what will the Deol  family’s izzat be when this  film comes out?”

The source  from the CBFC further reveals that the film is an “embarrassment”  for  the Modi government. “Mohalla Assi is set in the Prime  Minister’s constituency. It shows the Holy City in the worst  possible  light.”

Apparently  Prasoon Joshi and several members  of  the CBFC  were opposed  to passing the film. “But we had  no choice in the matter. The honourable High Court Of  Delhi ordered that Mohalla Assi be passed.  The  film’s producers then slapped  a contempt of court on the CBFC for not passing the film. Prasoonji had no choice but to comply.”

This prominent members of the CBFC says the CBFC has now become redundant. “Any  governmental  or non-governmental  organization can tell us what to do.”

The censor certificate for Mohalla Assi (enclosed) clearly states, “After examination  of  the  film by the Honourable High Court Of Delhi at Delhi and on the recommendation  of the said honorable High Court, the Board(CBFC) hereby certifies that the film fit for public exhibition restricted to Adults Only.”

In the film  Sunny Deol plays a self-righteous priest fighting against the ecological and moral pollution of Varanasi. The film’s all-pervasive mood seems to have infected Deol. Never known to use even a single profanity in his entire career, Deol  is heard calling himself a ‘chutiya’ and commenting on the rampant “guru-shishya kenaam pe pela peli”(screwing in the grab of teacher-pupil.) in Varanasi.

Worse still and potentially blasphemous are the references to Lord Shiva who is seen appearing in Sunny Deol’s dream and berating thebhakt, “Bhosri-ke, tu meri sunega ya logon ki?”

In fact the extremely abusive Hindi term “bhosri ke” is equated with the chant ‘Har Har Mahadev ‘ in the trailer. We hear veteran actorRajendra Gupta saying that the two go hand-in-hand in Varanasi.

The film  is filled with abusive references to tourists . At one point  when Ravi Kissan who plays a tourist guide brings a Caucasian paying guest home to Sakshi Tanwar, she refers to female tourists as “randiyan”(whores).In a scene  a local woman tells Sakshi Tanwarhow female tourists complain, “Yahan bahot garmi hai “

Sakshi, “Kahan? Varanasi mein?

“Nahin donon tango ke beech mein(between the legs),” replies the woman.

This image of Varanasi as a  tourist-challenged infiltration-weary city is unlikely go down well with the current government.

Incidentally the prime minister Mr Narendra Modi fought and won theLok Sabha elections from Varanasi.