The ex-Censor Chief and filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani isn’t having a good time, getting his movie Rangeela Raja to release on the date planned. After showing the movie to the Censors, Pahlaj was ordered to remove several dialogues. Post that, he appealed to the Vacation Bench of the Bombay High Court few days before Diwali to overrule the Censor Board’s decision, but was told that ‘the matter is not urgent and he will have to wait.’ Now, as his movie approaches the Court on Monday, he decided to show the Censor-demanded cuts to the media and justify his stance.
Pahlaj called for a press conference last night at Sun-n-Sand and the media turned out in large numbers. Presenting all the cuts in question, to the media along with the cut, he along with his star cast comprising of Govinda, Shakti Kapoor and Mishika Chourasia, then sat down to addressed the journalists.
Nihalani said, “Prasoon is not doing a fair job. What kind of censorship do we have where the Chief is not accessible to the producers, whose films he is supposed to certify?” Referring to Prasoon Joshi, he further said, “He is hardly present in his office plus he is known to sign certificates only in Taj Hotel which is bizarre. While, I was serving as the Censor Chief, I was there in the office almost every day.” He stressed on the fact that an RO (Read: Tushar Karmarkar) can’t alone decide the fate of the movie.
Later, Govinda strongly hinted that someone is sabotaging his career since 9 years. He said, "I did a movie with Ravi Chopra and it didn’t release, I did a movie with Ashtavinayak and it didn’t release. So, every time I do a movie, I don’t get a platform as some of my movies don’t even make it and that is very unfair to a senior actor like me. I don’t know who is doing this, but there is definitely someone who doesn’t want me to be in the centre again. Basically, is it because I had joined politics? But I left that field long ago and now I even choose my words and speak- and plus today I am pleading with folded hands to allow me to continue my first love, which is acting. A similar thing happened when Fryday released hardly in few theatres. What more can I say?”
Pahlaj called for a press conference last night at Sun-n-Sand and the media turned out in large numbers. Presenting all the cuts in question, to the media along with the cut, he along with his star cast comprising of Govinda, Shakti Kapoor and Mishika Chourasia, then sat down to addressed the journalists.
Nihalani said, “Prasoon is not doing a fair job. What kind of censorship do we have where the Chief is not accessible to the producers, whose films he is supposed to certify?” Referring to Prasoon Joshi, he further said, “He is hardly present in his office plus he is known to sign certificates only in Taj Hotel which is bizarre. While, I was serving as the Censor Chief, I was there in the office almost every day.” He stressed on the fact that an RO (Read: Tushar Karmarkar) can’t alone decide the fate of the movie.
Later, Govinda strongly hinted that someone is sabotaging his career since 9 years. He said, "I did a movie with Ravi Chopra and it didn’t release, I did a movie with Ashtavinayak and it didn’t release. So, every time I do a movie, I don’t get a platform as some of my movies don’t even make it and that is very unfair to a senior actor like me. I don’t know who is doing this, but there is definitely someone who doesn’t want me to be in the centre again. Basically, is it because I had joined politics? But I left that field long ago and now I even choose my words and speak- and plus today I am pleading with folded hands to allow me to continue my first love, which is acting. A similar thing happened when Fryday released hardly in few theatres. What more can I say?”
Lead actress of Rangeela Raja, Mishika Chourasia said, "I don't understand the objections raised by the Censor Board. Our film doesn’t have any slang language. In fact, we have a husband and wife in the film. A husband-wife relationship is supposed to be very open. And that's just how Rangeela Raja goes about it."
We to have to say this that the highlight of the evening was a line by Nihalani, that goes, "When I look today, I feel ashamed that I was a part of the Censor Board." It depicted the man's frustration levels, because the Rangeela Raja is just one week away from its scheduled date and the clearance from the Censor Board looks nowhere in sight.
Image Source: PeepingMoon , Deccan Chronicle, instagram/mishikachourasia ,Newsbugz & Biographia
Image Source: PeepingMoon , Deccan Chronicle, instagram/mishikachourasia ,Newsbugz & Biographia