In a fresh dispute, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani has written to Information and Broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, seeking his intervention over board’s internal conflicts. In his letter to the ministry, he alleges that some of his colleagues have tried to “malign” him by wrongly accusing him of leaking films online days ahead of their release, reports The Telegraph.
Reportedly, Nihalani also seeks clarification from the government over the television appearances of certain CFBC board members,without the board’s consent.These members took part in news debates and openly criticised CBFC’s decisions.
In response to the letter, the I&B Ministry has decided to investigate the matter, hinting at an “overhauling” of the board. An I&B source claims that strict action will be taken against board members who use media platforms to condemn board’s decisions rather than discussing them with the chairperson or Ministry, reports DNA.
Fingers were pointed at CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani after the censor copy leaks of films like Udta Punjab and Great Grand Masti made their way to downloading sites like torrent, sparking an outrage among filmmakers.
The censor board was reportedly facing internal rifts, causing certain board members to turn against the its chief Nihalani.
According to a report in AsianAge, the reason for the fallout is attributed to certain decisions taken by Nihalani without the prior approval of other board members. Nihalini’s decision of calling for major cuts in the controversial film, Udta Punjab triggered protests from other members of the board.
Reportedly, many board members were also unhappy with the board’s new policy of accepting films for certification on a digital cinema package (DCP) format only.
Recently, it was also reported that the CBFC may lose its rights to “censorship” and will only be left with the power to provide “certification” to films.
(Feature image source: PTI)
