In a petition filed before the Bombay High Court, former censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani challenged his successor Prasoon Joshi's cuts to his upcoming Govinda-starrer Rangeela Raja, claiming that he was being targeted. "It is an unhidden fact that recently, a company known as Netflex started a Website known as ‘Secret Game’ which has become very popular however, all the films and programmes shown in the said website are purely adult programme and it could be said the same are in the nature of blue films," he wrote in his petition.
"The Petitioner states that even prima facie, if the said cuts and/or the dialogues are taken into consideration, the same do not show any vulgarity of whatsoever nature. The Petitioner states that however, only because the Petitioner is the ex-Chairman of the said Institute of the Respondent No.2 and had been very strict during his tenure, now, the Petitioner is sought to be harassed [sic]."
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 was replaced as CBFC chairperson by writer-ad man Prasoon Joshi.
