CBFC will preserve India’s culture: Nihalani

Nihalani was addressing the censor board’s decision to deny certification to Lipstick Under My Burkha for allegedly being ‘lady oriented’ and containing ‘abusive words’. 

“CBFC is part of the government, the responsibility of which is not only limited to issuing certificates to the films but also to preserve the culture and tradition of the country. CBFC is needed so that right kind of films are exhibited in public. The status quo will be maintained till the time I am here. We will follow the guidelines. I thank my staff members and officials who are sincerely and honestly complying with government rules,” Nihalani said. He said that the board does not have any objection with title, but has issues with the treatment of the subject of women empowerment in the film. 

“CBFC has its own responsibility. Along with a certification body, it has a rulebook with guidelines and Act which works according to it. “We have not blocked the title but our objection is to the content of the film. We are in favour of women empowerment as is being talked about but we don’t agree with the type of treatment and projection that has been accorded to them,” Nihalani added. 

A Muslim organisation here has asked the censor board not to clear the Prakash Jha-produced film Lipstick Under My Burkha.

“Advisory panel of Madhya Pradesh unit of All India Muslim Tehwar Committee at its meeting here on Friday condemned the movie,” the organisation’s state unit chairman Ausaf Shahmeeri Khurram said.

He alleged that the film was ‘against the dignity of our women and tenets of Islam’ and said the AIMTC had requested the CBFC not to clear it. The film has won the Spirit of Asia Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival. It features Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthaku.