It’s time to spell it out: there is a massive drug problem in Punjab. Okay? Either the authorities want to deal with it... or they want to pretend it doesn’t exist... and then try to ban a movie that deals with it. To most rational people, this “controversy” is a no-brainer. Let the film go. Deal with the problem. But that won’t happen. At least not without a useless, pointless fight. What is the fight about? Well... let’s not pussyfoot around this too. It’s about politics. And the elections in Punjab. Nobody seems to get the obvious, which is that a movie, no matter how nasty and terrible it is, cannot influence votes.
If nasty and terrible things are happening in the state, it’s time to wake up and do something about the situation. All reports point to a total and complete collapse in countless villages across Punjab. Drug addiction has destroyed families in a manner that the outside world has still to recognise. It is this terrible truth the movie is trying to depict. Those who oppose the film are only running away from the truth. Let’s be honest — what is worse — the brutality shown in Udta Punjab? Or the brutality that exists?
If there’s been one positive outcome from the ongoing battle between the movie’s producers and Central Board of Film Certification head Pahlaj Nihalani, it’s the coming together of a few influential Bollywood personalities who are standing up to challenge and raising questions that demand answers. The suggested cuts, and the outrageous demand to blank out any reference to Punjab, is so transparently absurd! To do that, would be to nullify the film totally! Every movie has a context. Udta Punjab is about Punjab — that’s its raison d’etre.
It is not a vague, unfocused film about the “drug issue” in isolation. It’s about the drug addiction epidemic in Punjab. Period. Nobody has the right to ask the filmmakers to camouflage the location. What is happening to the youth in Punjab should alarm us all. I have not watched the film. Perhaps, I wouldn’t have watched it at all. That is my sole prerogative. Audiences remain the only arbiters in the matter. To buy a ticket or not to buy a ticket, remains the privilege a viewer alone possesses. Nobody can snatch that privilege.
What is Mr Nihalani afraid of that he is resorting to such a drastic, confrontational, non-democratic approach? Name-calling and making wild allegations against Anurag Kashyap, co-producer of Udta, doesn’t resolve the multiple issues the demand for these arbitrary cuts have raised. The Bombay high court has asked the CBFC to “explain” the cuts. Shyam Benegal has declared: “It’s not our job to look after morals.” Meanwhile, information and broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley has warned he will be announcing radical changes in film certification. That sounds pretty ominous. Most stakeholders want Mr Nihalani to be sacked, as he is in no mood to resign.
Mr Nihalani is pretty redundant. Who needs him? For what? Mr Nihalani brazenly says he is “proud to be Narendra Modi’s chamcha”. In saying that, he is defaming Mr Modi! Who needs such chamchas? Perhaps, unknowingly, he is also suggesting that his boss Modiji and he are on the same page about Udta... As usual, it’s an assumption that will go unchallenged, since Mr Modi is far too busy receiving standing ovations in Washington to bother about a movie on Punjab back home. But frankly, he should get involved, because it’s no longer about the film. The debate has left Udta Punjab behind. Once again India is challenging oppressive attempts to stifle freedom of expression.
Udta Punjab is likely to win this round — it has already become a cause célèbre. It has also become the rallying point for Bollywood, which is not known for its unity or for standing behind beleaguered colleagues. Generally, battles in movieland are fought on the “to each his/her own war” basis, allowing outsiders to exploit the fragmented nature of the film industry and exploit this weakness. There are way too many power centres and factions here, with no clear leadership. Of late, several movie stars have become politically ambitious and aligned with political parties for mutual gain. Decades ago, our film industry came together as one during national crises — there was no political angle to their standing together at times of war, floods and earthquakes.
Since political alignments developed along party lines, movie stars brought in an entirely different culture into the business of entertainment. Today, it’s easy to identify BJP supporters and point out those still loyal to the Congress. With these blatant and blind loyalties in place, divisiveness has created major rifts within the film industry. So many juicy carrots are regularly dangled to woo movie stars — from Rajya Sabha seats to fully-funded Lok Sabha elections. The perks are far too many to resist. Out-of-work, has-been stars jump at these offers, while contributing absolutely nothing as MPs.
Udta Punjab may turn out to be the litmus test for Bollywood. Depending on how the controversy pans out. The film industry will realise that its only hope lies in sticking together when it comes to defending creative rights. A film located in Punjab is being targeted today. It can be Maharashtra’s turn tomorrow. What if Sairat, the superhit Marathi film that deals squarely with caste and class, was asked to bleep out all references to its location (Solapur), and not show the oppression faced by dalits in the area?
There would be no film left! It’s the same problem with Udta... Take away Punjab and Punjabi references in the movie, and there’s no movie! A 2009 affidavit claims that 67 per cent of rural households in Punjab have at least one drug addict. This is not fiction — it’s much worse! Solution: sweep the mess under the carpet. And pretend all is well in the state of Punjab. The Udta... team has been asked to remove words like “MP, Parliament, MLA and elections”. Isn’t that ridiculous? Or maybe not. The filmmakers have also been advised to remove abuses. Perhaps the words Parliament, MP and elections are modern-day equivalents of abuses?
