Mumbai : Veteran filmmaker Ashok Pandit today refuted allegations against Anurag Kashyap of taking money from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to show Punjab in bad light and demanded an apology from Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani while stating that it was an insult to the entire film fraternity.
“We demand Pahlaj Nihalani to seek an apology for his statement. This is an insult to the entire film industry,” Pandit said.
The entire cast of the Abhishek Chaubey directed film and the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association assembled here to downplay the controversy surrounding ‘Udta Punjab’.
Weighing in to Pandit’s demand, filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt appealed to the government to remove Nihalani from his position.
“I appeal to the (Information and Broadcasting) Ministry to remove Pahlaj Nihalani. He doesn’t deserve to be the CBFC chief,” he said.
The Censor Board chief had earlier alleged that Kashyap may have taken money from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to show Punjab in bad light through his co-production ‘Udta Punjab’.
This came after the makers of ‘Udta Punjab’ were asked to make 89 cuts to the movie to get a release certificate.
Nihalani, however, asserted that he had made the cuts keeping the law and order situation of the state in mind and accused Kashyap of trying to take mileage from the entire controversy to promote the film.
Swatting of allegations of the CBFC swaying to political affiliations regarding the release of the film, he added that there was absolutely no truth to the charges, as the board was an individual entity free from any political ties.
Nihalani also accused Kashyap of trying to garner attention for his flick, which ‘no one had heard before’ until now, saying that he was trying to get mileage out of the entire furore.
Talking about the cuts made in the film, he further said that if Kashyap has problems with the CBFC’s decision then he was free to go to higher authorities and make his case, adding that he had nothing personal against the co-producer and that he was simply doing his job.
Co-produced by Phantom Films and Balaji Motion Pictures, ‘Udta Punjab,’ a highly talked about movie that is being keenly anticipated by a large section of youth, also stars Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh.
The movie slated to release on June 17 is likely to get delayed. (ANI)