Jai Gangaajal

Priyanka Chopra

Prakash Jha

FCAT

Censor Board of Film Certification

CBFC

Lipstick Under My Burkha

Alankrita Shrivastava

audio pornography

London

Konkona Sen Sharma

Ratna Pathak Shah

Aahana Kumra

Plabita Borthakur

Glasgow Film Festival

Pahlaj Nihalani

Mumbai Film Festival

Tokyo International Film Festival

Raajneeti

Apaharan

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Haraamkhor

That’s one of the reasons the Central Board of Film Certification has given for refusing to certify Prakash Jha’s new production.Early last year, after the Examining Committee had failed to arrive at a consensus on the certification of his cop-drama,, featuringhad approached the Revising Committee which had offered him a ‘U/A’ certificate with 11 cuts, which included editing out cuss words like ‘saala’ and ‘ghanta’ which the filmmaker argued were a part of everyday conversations in the hinterlands. He refused to comply with the diktats and appealed to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal () that passed the film with a U/A certificate and no cuts. The National Award-winner’s battle with the) continues.In January 2017, Jha’s new production,, directed by, was screened for the Censor Board’s Examining Committee and Jha was informed that the film cannot be certified. The reasons stated in a letter read: “The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contanious sexual scenes, abusive words,and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society, hence film refused under guidelines 1(a), 2(vii), 2(ix), 2(x), 2(xi), 2(xii) and 3(i).”An enraged Jha who is presently in, told Mirror, “As a country we must encourage freedom of expression but the CBFC refusing to certify films that tell uncomfortable stories discourages filmmakers from pushing the envelope. Films should challenge the status quo which is what Lipstick Under My Burkha perhaps does and I believe our audience deserve to watch it.”Set in small town India, the film featuringand, chronicles the secret lives of four women in search of a little freedom. Alankrita, who is at thefor the film’s premiere on February 24, informs that CBFC Chairpersonhad watched the film with the Revising Committee after which she was called in and told that they had unanimously decided to not certify the film. “It’s a feminist film with a strong female voice which challenges patriarchy. I think that’s why they don’t want to certify it. As a filmmaker, I stand by the story and will fight for it till the end,” she asserts.Lipstick Under My Burkha has won the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality at theand the Spirit of Asia Prize at theAlankrita, who assisted Jha onandbefore turning director with his Turning 30!!! adds that they are waiting for the official letter from the Revising Committee after which they will apply to FCAT. “I am travelling to some more festivals and hopefully I will have a hearing by the time I return in March,” she says.Nihalani when contacted said he did not wish to comment on the subject after the Board had unanimously refused to clear it. When it was pointed out that the official letter from the Revising Committee has yet to reach Jha, he said shortly, “It’s the producer’s job to get it from the office.” Earlier, the CBFC had objected to the premise of thestarrerwhich touched on a teacher-student illicit romance, refusing to certify it. The makers approached the FCAT which cleared the film with a ‘U/A’ certificate.