Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar can come to the censor board with Ok Jaanu without worrying, says Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani.
Netizens have spoken out about “double standards” being displayed by the censorship board and have raised questions on how and why the kisses in Spectre, Tamasha and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil were restricted or deleted when Befikre got away with lots of kissing. Gossip mills have it that money had exchanged hands.
But Nihalani laughs it off and says, “So, I am corrupt if I don’t cut the kisses. I am corrupt and ‘sanskaari’ [traditionalist] if I cut the kisses. I might as well go with the first option.”
The makers of the forthcoming Ok Jaanu, co-produced by Karan’s Dharma Productions, are said to be now looking at a more liberal approach to their film. But Nihalani is not biting the bait.
“The film that you mention has not come to us as yet. And we are certainly not going to certify it keeping Befikre in mind as a yardstick. Nothing like, [if they have 20 kisses, we have 10]. Every film will be certified on its individual merit,” he said.
Clarifying his stance on a perception being projected within the film industry that the CBFC has a soft corner for Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films, producers of Befikre, and not for Johar’s banner, he said: “You mean because we cut the kisses in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and not in Befikre?
Firstly, let me make it very clear that there was no kiss between Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to cut in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Yes, we did cut the kiss between Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma because we felt that the kiss was unduly prolonged.
“Secondly, when his film was in trouble over the presence of a Pakistani artiste, I was one of Karan’s most vocal supporters. Karan is the son of my old friend, the wonderful Yash Johar who was one of the most upright and kind souls in this film industry. Karan is like my own son. Let him come to the censors with Ok Jaanu, ekdum ‘befikre’ [without fear]. We’ll do whatever is the right thing to do.”
OK Jaanu, a remake of Mani Ratnam’s OK Kadhal Kanmani, is the story of a couple that prefers a live-in relationship for a certain period as opposed to marriage because they both wish to pursue different careers. The film is expected to release on January 13 in India.
