New Delhi: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) witnessed fresh rumblings with board member Chandraprakash Dwivedi expressing disappointment over cuts made in Anushka Sharma's film "NH10" despite a collective decision to put on hold a circular banning cuss words.
The board has been embroiled in controversies recently with objections being raised over the circular banning a list of cuss words, which was later put on hold.
Expressing anguish that collective decisions were being ignored, Dwivedi, a prominent filmmaker, sought an urgent meeting of the board in his letter to CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihlani to address "uncomfortable issues".
Dwivedi said that he was in receipt of the list of "cuss words" asked to be deleted by board to the producers of "NH 10". The list was forwarded to him by a friend through SMS, Dwivedi said in the letter.
"I am not pained for the deletion of the cuss words or decision of the CBFC but the violation of the trust of the board," he wrote.
Recalling an earlier meeting of the board, Dwivedi said, it was resolved that the circular issued by chairman or the office of the CBFC, banning certain words, will not be implemented till there is a detailed discussion.
"However the said circular in discussion was implemented and cuts were given regarding cuss words. I am also informed that your goodself was the presiding officer for the revision committee," Dwivedi wrote in his letter to Nihalani.
He wrote that while "not going into the merit of classification, certification or questioning the decision of the board here," he felt that the way the cuts were sought in the movie were "against the collective decision of the board of CBFC."
Dwivedi added that he had attended three revision meetings and every time returned home with a "saddened heart" as every time he came to know that the collective mandate (or wisdom) of the board was not communicated to advisory panel.
"I have started feeling uncomfortable of being a part of an esteemed institution where, collective decision of the board is ignored or collective voice is unheard," he said in his letter while seeking an urgent meeting of the board to address uncomfortable issues.
In his letter, Dwivedi said it was resolved that the circular issued by chairman or the office of the CBFC, banning certain words, will not be implemented till there is a detailed discussion.
"However the said circular in discussion was implemented and cuts were given regarding cuss words. I am also informed that your goodself was the presiding officer for the revision committee," Dwivedi wrote.
When contacted, Dwivedi said, "I wrote the letter to solve the differences within the Board through discussion. I don't know how it was leaked. It is a constitutional body and we respect that. Issues within it should be ironed out internally."
Anushka, whose film was mentioned in the Board members letter, had earlier spoken against the restrictions against "NH10".
"The problem is that when you start working with so many parameters and restrictions, it is actually killing the scope of coming out with original ideas because you are already working within boundaries," Anushka had said.
"I think it would be nice to have a rating system and not just cut things out of films. It should be left to the audience to decide what they want to watch. People have the option to walk out of the halls. I wish that kind of responsibility was given to us."
Director Vikramditya Motwane, another producer on the movie, said it was disappointing to chop off scenes from the film.
"It is disappointing when your vision is curbed. Unfortunately, that is the scenario. The film is still great with the cuts. Nothing much has changed," Motwane had said.
The newly formed Board has faced flak for putting stringent conditions for clearing movies.
