Anurag Kashyap: Dealing With Pahlaj Nihalani Was A Humiliating Process

In a shocking turn of events, Pahlaj Nihalani was removed as the Censor Board Chief a few days ago and replaced by noted lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Anurag Kashyap, who was long at loggerheads with the former chief over his film, Udta Punjab, is delighted with the decision. While talking to a leading daily, he said, “Something you’ve been waiting for, and it suddenly happens, it’s like wow! Did this really happen? And that, too, before my film came out.”

When asked for his view on the new chairman, the filmmaker says, “I might disagree with the things [Prasoon Joshi] says or does sometimes, but not all the time. Also, he’s a very open person. What is amazing is that a dialogue is possible. See, the government that will come in —any government, Congress or BJP — will always hand over institutions to people who’re kind of aligned with its ideologies. I believe there should be no censorship and only certification, and I believe Prasoon Joshi is the kind of person who believes in that, because he has often talked about it.”

So, does he mean that there was no dialogue with Pahlaj Nihalani? “Pahlajji was like a darbar (court) who’d sit down and make you stand and talk for three hours and lecture you how he’s better than you. It’s a very humiliating process that every filmmaker went through. It wasn’t a dialogue but only a monologue, where he would be the one talking; and he’d tell you what to do. There would be subtle threats and this and that… You have no idea what kind of a relief this is!” he asserted.


Thumbnail Image Source:  twitter/shahidkapoor, newstracklive & alchetron