Have you heard of films called ‘Mastizaade’, ‘Kya Kool Hain Hum 3’, ‘One Night Stand’? Because I think these films were released in some different countries where the Censor Board were high enough to pass them without any hiccups. These films were probably way too special for the censor board members and they couldn’t afford to miss getting it passed. Apart from these three films, there are bundles of B grade, C grade films which get released every month which has abundance of “vulgar, cheap and explicit content”. How do they manage to get a green signal from the censor board? There is no answer to it.
Apart from the mainstream Bollywood films, it is a rare occurrence that Bollywood manages to make films which make sense in both reel and the real world. Films which not only entertain but educate too, films which educate us about what is happening in this country. Why do we always shy away from reality? Because it shames us? Or maybe the political forces?
Udta Punjab, is a film which is about the intense drug abuse in Punjab today. The entire youth population has succumbed to drug addiction. In mid-2014, Sukhbir Singh Badal’s voice promised an aggressive crackdown of drug peddlers by saying, “We will spare no one.” Since then more than 30,000 arrests have been made. Sounds majestic, doesn’t it? Sadly enough it is not so majestic on the ground level. According to the findings by Indian Express after an 8-month long investigation, it has been found out that 42.4% of arrests that have been done are of drug addicts who were in possession of 5-100gm of drugs.
Ever since the sensational promise was made by the chief minister, not a single drug lord has been nabbed. And an astounding number of people who were arrested are out on bail today. Imbecile arrests have been conducted without any foresight. People who were in the company of drug addicts were also arrested by the police and later bailed out.
What does this all say? Not that Punjab is in trouble and is almost on its knees but it says that the truth will come out, in one form or the other and the people will know about it no matter how hard you try to hide it.
Asking for 89 cuts in a film which is so close to reality is a shame. A shame CBFC will always be tainted with. It questions the very notion of ‘Freedom of Expression’. Sign this petition and encourage freedom! http://chn.ge/1U77bly
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