The Pakistani censor board has allowed Abhishek Chaubey's film on drug abuse in Punjab to release after 100 cuts, 10 more than the Indian CBFC requested.
Pakistan Censors hit Udta Punjab for a ton, film to release with 100 cuts
Mumbai - 22 Jun 2016 11:59 IST
Shriram Iyengar
The problem of Udta Punjab and the censor boards just doesn't go away. This time, it is the censors in Pakistan who have taken their scissors to the film. The Pakistani Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) has allowed the film to be released in the country, after 100 cuts. These cuts are being requested to remove 'objectionable and anti-Pakistan' content in the film.
In a report by the PTI, the head of the board, Mubashir Hasan was quoted saying, "All 10-members of the CBFC have unanimously allowed Udta Punjab to be released after editing objectionable content." Hasan was also quoted as saying that every dialogue had objectionable content and hence, had to be edited. "We have cut all derogatory and offensive words/dialogues and anti-Pakistan content from the film. More than 100 cuts, mutes, beeps have been suggested to the film’s distributor. Once he will complete the editing as per the requirement of the board, it will again be presented before it for final approval," he added.
Abhishek Chaubey's film has already gone through a long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (also CBFC) in India for requesting 89 cuts in the film. The producers took the board to court in order to receive an 'A' certificate to release the film.
The distributor has suggested that the cuts will be implemented and the film will be released this weekend. Sadly, he doesn't have an Anurag Kashyap on his side of the fence.
