FCAT gives No Fathers In Kashmir U/A certificate

The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has suggested that Ashvin Kumar's No Fathers In Kashmir is fit for a U/A certificate after a few cuts and disclaimers are incorporated in the movie.

After making the suggested changes, the film will reach the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for the final stamp.

CBFC regional officer Tushar Karmakar told IANS that "FCAT has asked the filmmaker to make some changes, and if these are found okay, CBFC will give a go-ahead to the film."

For Kumar, who has been waiting for months together for a certificate, the going has been tough.

What started as a regular filing for a censor certificate in July 2018, has turned out to become an eight month-long effort.

After challenging the CBFC decision to give the film an 'A' certificate, which the makers found unjustified basis the content of their movie, they moved to FCAT first in November 2018 with a hearing in December the same year, and later in January this year.

FCAT has now, after a month of its second screening, given its final order on the film asking for a few changes including some cuts and disclaimers. The final decision is currently with the CBFC.

Doesn't take 6 months to certify a film: No Fathers In Kashmir director is puzzled by CBFC

No Fathers In Kashmir stars Soni Razdan, Anshuman Jha and Kulbushan Kharbanda. It traces the love story of two young 16-year-olds who are in search for their fathers who have gone missing in the Valley.

Kumar, who has been an Oscar nominee for his short film Little Terrorist (2005) and a National Award winner, is ecstatic about the development on his new film.

He said in a statement: "Ten years ago in my film Inshallah Football (2010), I had warned that alienating the youth of Kashmir would have catastrophic consequences. Censorship of the truth about Kashmir has caused a crisis of compassion, amplifying misguided fears of ordinary Indians towards ordinary Kashmiris."

"News channels with fake sensational hate mongering are encouraged while films like mine which try to build empathy by telling the truth are put through the most unjustified scrutiny and subject to arbitrary mutilation.

"Keeping the public away from information and truth is such a myopic policy - it only breeds more hostility when the need of the hour is empathy leading to peace. Anyone who genuinely wants peace will understand that we must first stop censoring films that tell the truth about Kashmir."