Bollywood is celebrating a rare court decision to overrule the country's chief censor, who had sought to censor a controversial film about drug problems in the state of Punjab.

The film Udta Punjab — which means 'Punjab on a High' — deals with drug abuse in the northern Indian state and is scheduled for release in just under a week.

Last week India's film certification board ordered the film to remove all references to Punjab itself, politics and politicians, as well as numerous drug references and swear words deemed offensive.

Yesterday after the Bombay High Court overruled the censors, director Abhishek Chaubey said he was "deeply mystified" by the original order.

"We were all mystified because it didn't make any sense to us why this was being done," he said.

A state poll is due in Punjab early next year and drug problems are expected to be a major issue at the election, prompting accusations the censor's decision was politically motivated.

Censorship ordered to silence criticism: industry observer

The incumbent administration in Punjab is allied with India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The chairman of India's Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), Pahlaj Nihalanie — who ordered the censorship in Udta Punjab — was appointed by the Government after making a campaign film for the BJP.

Yasasvy Nanyam, the co-founder of a blog and petition called "Save Our Cinema" believes Mr Nihalanie wanted to silence criticism.

"They're actually looking for any kind of way to restrict any kind of freedom of expression or any speech," Mr Nanyam said.

"Especially when it comes to a sensitive subject like drugs, which is a huge menace in the state of Punjab."

Mr Nihalani rejected the allegation and hit back, claiming the film's producers took money from a rival political party to make it — an allegation the producers have also rejected.

Government censorship not expected to change

Mukesh Bhatt from the producers guild of India hopes the legal challenge will "rekindle" filmmakers' belief in their freedom of expression.

"We were petrified, as we were thinking that we are headed towards a very dark age, thanks to how CBFC has been functioning of late," he said.

Government censors in India have wide-ranging powers to edit films, should they believe it could stoke 'anti-national' sentiment — or in the case of Udta Punjab, glorify drug use.

A report recommending changes is before the Government, but observers like Mr Nanyam expect little will change.

He points out Udta Punjab was backed by two of Bollywood's biggest production companies, which could afford the risk of delayed release that comes with challenging the censors' orders.

The Bombay High Court did uphold one of the recommended cuts, and ordered the removal of a segment showing the main character urinating on a crowd.

Lawyers for the film certification board told the judge they would now approve the movie, but only after they had seen it again, with the offending urination scene removed.