Irrfan Khan condemns the word ‘Censor;’ sends a stern message to the government

Over the last week, there has been an uproar against the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for ordering numerous cuts in Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab, including the removal of the word ‘Punjab’ from the title and various scenes in the film. 

The decision drew condemnation from the film industry and the matter is now before the Bombay high court. While some have been open in their opposition to the CBFC's dictates, others have avoided any direct attack on the body, popularly called the censor board.

But one actor who is mincing no words is Irrfan Khan. During the launch of the song ‘Dama Dam’ from his upcoming flick Madaari, the internationally renowned actor made it clear he was in no mood to keep a stoic silence on the issue.

As expected, the Piku (2015) actor was asked his opinion on the current controversy, and he said, “Some publications wrote about the severity of a crisis in a state. And now, after 10 years, someone makes a film on it and it suddenly becomes such a big issue. The problem is that we are not even aware if it is a censor board or a certificate board. It’s a certificate board; not a censor board.” 

He continued, “These laws were made during the colonial era. So, a single person shouldn’t be blamed for this. A person who is given the responsibility just follows the rules. These rules were written at a time when the British wanted to control us.”

Irrfan Khan, star of films such as Maqbool (2004), Slumdog Millionaire (2009) and Life of Pi (2012), added: “These days, the entire country has become a censor board. Just about anybody makes a big issue out of anything.” 

Khan did not hold back and sent a stern message to the government as well. “The film industry pays Rs4,000 crore in taxes per annum. So there has to be some gesture of encouragement from the government towards those who are paying taxes,” he said. 

Incidentally, the song ‘Dama Dam’ takes a strong dig at the socio-political situation in the country. The film also has Irrfan Khan playing a common man fighting injustice and corruption in the system. 

Directed by Nishikant Kamat, Madaari is all set to release on 15 July.