Someone is out to frame this man, but who?
An audio tape featuring the Censor Board Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani discussing with filmmakers Tina Bose and Cyrus Khambata that they have to delete the foul language from their film Yahan Sabki Lagi Hai (which hit the theatres last Friday) has gone viral. The audio also has a few images of Pahlaj, Bose and Khambata
Click here to hear the tape
The tape in question has Pahlaj explaining the duo that he cannot pass their film unless and until they delete the expletives especially the Hindi ones from their film.
The duo try their best to convince Pahlaj to give a clean chit to their expletive-laden movie but Pahlaj does not relent.
The Censor Chief clearly tells them that he doesn't mind the F-word going into the film at few points if it is relevant to the situation in their story- but he will apply the scissors on all the Hindi abuses. He even gives them the example of Amitabh Bachchan's having dubbed over his expletives in Shamitabh.
Bose and Khambata are also told that films with expletives don't work at the box-office. And when the two still keep justifying the foul language in their film, Pahlaj gets a bit irritated and says "Now, you guys are going on and on. I have tried my best to make you see light."
No prizes for guessing that the tape was made when Bose and Khambata met Pahlaj after their film met with stiff resistance from the Examining Committee.
Seems, the video was made for two reasons:
1. To know if Pahlaj accepts bribes under the table.
2. To record Pahlaj's current stand on cuss words after few senior members of the film industry met Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to air their grievances (It is a known fact that a section of the industry wants the cuss words to be a part of today's films).
Thankfully for Pahlaj, he did not talk about money to Bose and Khambata. For those who have come in late, Censor Board's former CEO Rakesh Kumar was caught accepting bribes of Rs 70,000 from a certified agent for clearing a regional film in August last year.
And, it is also clear from the conversation that Pahlaj is not going to give up his tirade against the cuss words.
When contacted, Pahlaj told SpotboyE.com, "Yahan Sabki Lagi Hai is a disaster at the ticket windows. The makers are perhaps trying a publicity stunt."
Added the Censor Chief, "I was trying to help Bose and Khambata to see light but they had definitely come with malafide intentions. I was simply helping them. But shayyad zamana bahut jyada kharab ho gaya hai. Anyway, I have nothing to lose. I have done no wrong."
The million dollar question is: Who taped Pahlaj, Bose and Khambatta? Bose and Khambata themselves? Or did some Censor Board staffer want to get even with Pahlaj? Or is someone bigger in stature masterminding Pahlaj's downfall?
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