Pahlaj Nihalani is the best CBFC chairperson ever, says Shatrughan Sinha
Word is that it was Shatrughan who strongly recommended the appointment of Pahlaj as the chief of CBFC.
Mumbai: The film fraternity at large may be up in arms against Pahlaj Nihalani for his “authoritarian policies”, but actor and BJP member Shatrughan Sinha, also a close friend of Nihalani, continues to support and endorse the CBFC chief’s policies.
He says, “Firstly, I haven’t seen Udta Punjab, I will soon. Speaking purely from an objective point of view, Pahlaj is doing a thankless job, and doing it most efficiently. Filmmakers who attack him forget that he has not made the rules. He is only following the guidelines laid down by the government. Don’t shoot the messenger if you don’t like the message.”
Read: Cleared 'Udta Punjab' with 13 cuts under A category, says Pahlaj Nihalani
Word is that it was Shatrughan who strongly recommended the appointment of Pahlaj as the chief of CBFC.
Speaking of the abusive language that is part of Udta Punjab and other films produced/directed by Anurag Kashyap, Sinha says, “I don’t use that kind of language in my everyday conversation. I’ve never used abusive language even while playing ruthless villains on screen. I always made sure that my dialogues did not disparage women or any community or caste. Why must characters make their point with profanities?”
Sinha adds that censor and certification laws in the country need amendments. “Until that happens, don’t abuse the CBFC chief for clamping down on abuses. He’s just doing his job. According to me, Pahlaj is the best CBFC chairperson ever.”