Actor Swastika Mukherjee thinks the censor board acted “foolishly” when they initially suggested to cut her character from a Bengali film with bold scenes.
“My character Bibi in Saheb Bibi Golaam is embedded with other characters and is crucial in their lives. It even plays an important role in the end. By killing my character they [Censor Board] would have killed the film. If it is not foolishness by some CBFC members, then what it is!” Swastika, said.
The Board’s attitude, the actor of Bollywood film Detective Byomkesh Bakshy feels, is “prudish and conservative.”
“This stems from the taboo that women can’t speak about sex and sexual desires or fantasies the way my character talks about. If these people consider a character as unduly bold for talking on such issues let them change their mindset.
“Why should the audience and film makers suffer? Saheb Biwi Golaam is an intelligent, commercial entertainer,” she said.
She reminded about the board raising objections to her roles in two films by “Moinak Bhowmik” three years ago, Swastika, who portrayed the seductive Anguri Devi in Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, said, “May be these people on the board think I am setting a bad example in society.” Director Pratim D Gupta said the censorship body had wanted to cut entire scenes involving Swastika with the logic that it would have “degrading influence” but he was determined to fight the issue until the end.
The stand-off resulted in the film’s release getting delayed by several months.
“There is no frontal nudity anywhere in my film and we took care in taking every shot imaginatively. If Swastika’s character as a housewife in escort service made them squeamish, it is their prudishness,” Pratim, who had directed Paanch Adhyay starring Dia Mirza, said.
“But we were aghast at the recommendations and stood our ground even if it meant the film’s release was getting postponed by months and we prevailed,” he said.
Swastika, who is now shuttling between Mumbai and Kolkata, said she was serious about working in Bollywood but roles should appeal to her.
