Bombay HC Petitioned by Rang De Basanti Makers Over CBFC Cuts; Bhojpuri Film Release Axed, Producer Faces Rs. 10 Cr Loss
On March 10, there were reports that the makers of the Bhojpuri film, Rang De Basanti, had accused Prasoon Joshi, the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), of intentionally delaying the censor process. The film shares a similar name to the 2006 Hindi film starring Aamir Khan, and the makers believe that Prasoon Joshi, who was associated with the Hindi film as a lyricist, may be causing the delay. The news gained significant attention, prompting the CBFC to provide a list of cuts to the makers. While the CBFC’s Examining Committee did not explicitly state that the film’s name should be changed, the requested modifications were deemed unfair by the makers. With the film’s release scheduled just a few days later, producer Roshan Singh sought relief from the Bombay High Court. Unfortunately, the Court declined to grant them relief, ultimately preventing Rang De Basanti from releasing in cinemas on Friday, March 22.
According to an industry insider, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) argued that the producer should have followed due process and approached the Revising Committee (RC) before seeking court intervention. The makers contended that the RC was only available a month later, prompting them to approach the Court. Justices G S Kulkarni and Firdosh P Pooniwalla instructed the RC to review the film and submit a report within 10 days. However, with March 22 just four days away, the release of Rang De Basanti has been canceled.
Producer Roshan Singh expressed that they had requested the judges for a shorter timeline due to time constraints, but their request was not accommodated. Consequently, Rang De Basanti will not be released in cinemas on March 22. Singh lamented the substantial financial loss of nearly Rs. 10 crores due to the delay, emphasizing the film’s significant anticipation and the planned extensive release across approximately 500 screens.
Rang De Basanti features Khesari Lal Yadav, Rati Pandey, and Diana Khan, and is directed by Premanshu Singh. The conflict between Rang De Basanti and the CBFC has been a matter of concern in the industry from the outset. Despite the film’s censor screening taking place on February 19 and the subsequent submission of the screening report on February 21, the process faced delays due to a lack of clearance from the chairperson. The makers’ appeals for expedited processing went unanswered, prompting Abhay Sinha, president of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), to write to the CBFC seeking urgent clearance.
