Kolkata: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) wants the word “Bangladesh” to be cut or replaced from a pro-Citizenship (Amendment) Act ad film if it wants to get the U certification. This is one of the five excisions or modifications, besides a disclaimer, that the

has suggested for four ad films pending certification at its regional office in Kolkata since last December.

The ads, directed and produced by Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, were submitted for certification on December 27. “All changes have been suggested only on the basis of guidelines. Certifying ads on any law needs caution. Suggestions for making excisions or insertions have been made only after considering all aspects,” a CBFC insider told TOI after the examination.

The official communication by CBFC regional officer Partha Ghosh says the suggestions were made in order to “adhere to guideline 2 (xvi), which stipulates that CBFC must ensure that friendly relations with foreign states are not strained”. Ghosh was not available for his comment on the report.

Chaudhuri, however, exp-ressed surprise at the recommendations. The ads were made to ward off fear, she said.

“There is a conversation in one of the ads where a person asks: ‘Ki re Salma, sabai naki koitese amago Bangladeshe phira jaete lagbe…

na ki jeno lagu hoitase… (Salma, everyone is saying that we will have to return to Bangladesh… something called CAA has been implemented…).’ I have not been asked to remove the Bangal dialect and so cannot understand how removing or replacing the word Bangladesh can serve any purpose,” she added.

Another recommendation states that the word “Hindu” in the first film has to be “modified/qualified in the light of CAA” as “Hindus from Afghanistan and Bangladesh or Pakistan” to adhere to one of the other CBFC guidelines.

The second ad film has a dialogue that goes: “CAA pass hoye gechhe, tai amra ekhon desher nagarik (CAA has got passed and so we are citizens of the country).” Here, the director has been asked to replace this with: “CAA howay sabar subidha hoyechhe, amra sabai Bharatiya nagarik (CAA has helped all of us, we all are Indian citizens).” The same guideline has been referred to while asking Chaudhuri to change the sentence “Era keu noy (They are no one)” “suitably” in the fourth film. The CBFC has also suggested a disclaimer — a sentence from the new law — to be added at the beginning of each advertisement and a credit line at the end of each film.

The director is now waiting to consult her team before making the changes. “These were topical ads and made to be circulated immediately after the law was passed. I am upset that the CBFC has taken a lot of time examining and suggesting changes,” Chaudhuri said.