Censor board wants ‘changes’ in ‘Pathaan’… CineEye, December 30, 2022December 30, 2022 NEW DELHI: Amid opposition to Deepika Padukone’s appearance in a saffron bikini in a song in ‘Pathaan’, the Central Board of Film Certification has asked the makers of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer to carry out “changes” to the film and its songs in accordance with the Board’s guidelines, its chairperson Prasoon Joshi said on Thursday. Though the nature of changes could not be ascertained, sources familiar with the certification process told TOI that it is likely that the suggested changes may be related to the alleged display of “obscenity/nudity” in the film, rather than the use of the saffron colour, over which one of the film’s songs had courted controversy after it was released earlier this month. The CBFC (Censor Board) is understood to have asked Yash Raj Films to submit a revised version of the spy action thriller before its scheduled release in theatres on January 25 next year. Deepika Padukone’s saffron bikini in the song ‘Besharam Rang’ had run foul of the right wing and minority groups in India, including Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra who had alleged that the objectionable use of the saffron colour – closely associated with the ruling party – had hurt “Hindu sentiments”. The MP Ulema Board, on the other hand, sought a ban on the film for “misrepresenting Islam”. Joshi, however, maintained that CBFC’s task is to strike a balance between the filmmakers’ creativity and the audiences’ sentiments and to accordingly find a solution. Referring to Indian culture and faith as glorious, intricate and nuanced, Joshi added, “We have to be careful that it does not get defined by trivia which takes the focus away from the real and the true….” In Bhopal, Narottam Mishra welcomed the Censor Board’s decision. “The CBFC’s decision is commendable,” Mishra said. All films are first examined by a four-member Examining Committee (EC) which submits its report to the CBFC chairperson. The theatrical release of a film’s trailer or song also requires CBFC certification. The chairperson may also suo motu or on the advice of the EC, refer the film to a revising committee (RC) which views the same film print that was shown to the Examining Committee without changes. RC members record their verdict before leaving the theatre. Before the EC or RC takes a decision, filmmakers seeking certification also present their views to the committees. If the chairperson disagrees with the views of the RC, he may constitute another RC. Following the final decision of the Board, the filmmaker is directed to change or delete content, if so asked, and is required to submit the changed content to the regional CBFC officer concerned, along with a copy of the film, as certified. If a filmmaker is still dissatisfied with the proposed changes, they can then approach the courts. BREAKING News