Former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has hit out at his successor Prasoon Joshi for ordering cuts in his Govinda-starrer Rangeela Raja, an irony not lost on anyone aware of his stormy tenure as the censor board chief. Nihalani said, The Indian Express reported, “CBFC has ordered too many cuts in my film. They have given UA certificate to Rangeela Raja. So, I have moved the High Court for relief. They have not followed any guidelines. I have been a part of the CBFC and I have been a film director and producer. I have never made films which would have anything worth a cut. Why this film? These cuts are unjustified and uncalled for.”
During his tenure, Nihalani had told the makers of Jab Harry Met Sejal to remove the word 'intercourse' from one of the mini trails of the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer. He then allowed the usage of the same word in Bengali film Dhanonjoy.
He now says: "I had no problem with the word. ‘Intercourse' has been allowed in the new Bengali film Dhanonjoy. No, I am not a prude. But I am pragmatic. I know Shah Rukh Khan's fans are children. And parents wouldn't have liked him talking about intercourse in Jab Harry Met Sejal."
"Let me make one thing clear. The CBFC guidelines do not stipulate that films should not be cut. Yet I was pressurised from the top to not cut, only certify. The CBFC is a confused organisation. We need progressive guidelines. Without them, we are stuck in a time-warp."
Nihalani has been replaced as CBFC chairperson by writer-ad man Prasoon Joshi.
