Should Udta Punjab be released without the censor board’s cuts?
The drug menace in the northern state of Punjab has always been like those issues that existed without much of media attention. Yes, people know since forever about the border smuggling and how the youth of Punjab are being affected by drugs but it has never before grabbed such headlines like it is doing now and that too because a film that talks about it is being held by the censor board – all ready to be chopped and cut wherever Pahlaj Nihalani deems fit.
Censorship in Indian movies is a much talked about concept prior to the release of any movie that contains adult, abusive or controversial content. Udta Punjab is in trouble for more than one of these reasons. It is said to be derogatory to the state of Punjab and contains cuss words that are ethically inappropriate. Film fraternity has come together to support Udta Punjab and to oppose the alleged 87 cuts in the movie by the censor board of India.
Yes:1. Reality movie: Bollywood has to come above its label of traditions and fictions and show more reality based movies. People like them better than much anticipated love triangles and biopics on superstars and sportspersons. Udta Punjab talks about one of the most prevalent issue in Punjab. People need to know and be aware of how much destruction and mishaps are being caused due to youth being diverted towards drug abuse/addiction. Cutting out parts of the reality is wrong. People have the right to see and then decide if they like the content or not.
2. Dictatorial nature of the censor board: The centre board under the new leadership of Nihalani is becoming dictatorial in nature. All it seeks is to make sure that its orders are implemented without any objection. If they object to the content of a film, they want to give out a strong message that there will be numerous cuts in it to devoid the film of its original content structure. Looking at the yesteryears films that dealt with drugs, some of them being classics of Dum Maro Dum, did come out untouched by the censor board.
3. Politics in entertainment: The censor board alleged that filmmaker Anurag Kashyap took money from AAP to derogate the political intentions of Punjab. This is not the first time when a movie is speaking ill of politics and politicians. Our movies have forever followed this path and yet the censor board is indulging in political allegations in the entertainment industry. This is not the way films are expected to prosper – adhering to the terms of politicians and parties.
4. What’s wrong with the title? Punjab is doomed under the influence of drug abuse. Period. What does the censor board want? To hide the fact that the movie is based on Punjab? It is sheer hypocrisy to ask the filmmaker to remove the word “Punjab” from the title when there have previously been movies like Go Goa Gone that dealt with rave parties and drug dealing in Goa. Perhaps the censor board will now ask to change the name of the state itself.
5. Elections v/s film release: The upcoming election in Punjab is definitely coming in the way of Udta Punjab’s release. There could be political pressure on the censor board to barricade the release of the movie which is slated for arrival on 17th June. Punjab is not only about golden fields and butter chicken anymore. The state is known to consume opioids worth Rs. 7500 crore and heroin worth Rs. 6500 crore, a fact that the ruling government of Punjab doesn’t want to be exposed to the entire nation in the wake of elections.
6. Facts: Statistics show that 3.56 lakh people in Punjab are dependent on heroin and 8.6 lakh people are addicted to opioids. At least two-thirds of all rural households in Punjab have at least one drug addict. Unless and until people are informed, how are they expected to change and bring awareness? The most controversial part of the film is the song Chitta Ve, which is actually very informative. Chitta is the local drug of Punjab prepared using pharmaceutical products. The song actually depicts the start and end of a drug addicts’ life. What was the censor board smoking when it declared the song derogative?
No:1. Misusing freedom of speech: In the name of freedom of speech, filmmakers and musicians are crossing all limits of decency. The language of the film doesn’t agree with the kind of films that are meant for youth and families if the movie talks about awareness. Corrupting the minds of youth with show of drug addicts acting like rockstars is misuse of freedom of speech which should not be allowed.
2. Preventing violence: If people of a state are against the content of a movie and feel derogated by the way the name of their state is being used in a movie, it is better to censor it than call for objections, protests and violence from the people. Even if the reason is political, it will be better to adhere to the rules of peaceful release than to agitate parties at times of assembly poll.
3. Vulgarity is not reality: Exposing youth and children to vulgarity and cuss words is not expression of reality. Imagine children singing the song Chitta Ve, without understanding the meaning of the lyrics – it is not a good sight let us accept. Films affect the minds of youth and hence filmmakers should be sensitive about the consequences of their films. Children who are young enough to not understand the message of the film could be misled easily.
4. Deprecating Punjab: Punjab is the state known to product the highest of the country’s agricultural content. The people of Punjab are hard working people. The Indian army will forever be decorated with bravery shields of warriors from Punjab. The drug menace is a sad reality but that should not overpower the good things about Punjab. Udta Punjab without the cuts could do that.
Udta Punjab should be released without censorship and cuts and people should be left to decide if the film is worth it or not. The censor board is simply giving more publicity to the film by making all those cuts and making news about it every other day.
Releasing the movie without cuts would be ideal but if required a few cuts should be made. 87 cuts, however, is insane and would create unnecessary trouble in the release of the movie which makes people think if politics is really involved in pressuring Nihalani and his people.
