#UdtaPunjab: If you don’t wish to watch something, change the channel, says Bombay High Court

The movie Udta Punjab has recieved unprecedented media attention days before it’s release. After the Central Board of Film Certification ordered a number of cuts to the film, the film’s producers went to the Bombay High Court..Today, the censor board’s lawyer Advait Sethna, made a number of submissions regarding the cuts ordered..One of the submissions revolved around a technicality – the application of the film’s producers (before the board) recorded Hindi as the official language of the film, whereas the current petition states the film to be in Punjabi. Sethna argued that if the board had been aware of the use of Punjabi, members familiar with language would have been appointed to the revising committee..Justices SC Dharmadhikari and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi questioned the logic behind this argument..“Are you saying that the members made these cuts without understanding the film?”.Moving on, Sethna argued how the song “Chitta Ve” was speaking of a white powder (presumably cocaine) and it was already a “rage” amongst children..He said-.“We have allowed whatever we could. With reference to the State of Punjab the phrase “Zameen banjar tey aulaad Kanjar” is used, which is deplorable. The word Kanjar means pimps. An entire state is being maligned.”.Dharmadhikari J asked what other word would go with Banjar. .“A frustrated dejected mind (referring to the character) may go there seeing the downfall in the society (with reference to the drug problem in the state). In today’s times if you don’t wish to watch something, you have a remote you can always change the channel. You have power to certify films for public exhibition, not censor them.”.Sethna also defended the cuts regarding a dog being named Jacky Chain. He equated it with a dog being named after Shahrukh Khan in a film..Senior counsel Ravi Kadam, arguing for the film’s producers, when asked whether the film could do without expletives said –.“I have already made submissions as to how all these scenes are integral to the theme of the film and do not glorify drugs at all. Now movies like Delhi Belly, Gangs of Wasseypur, Bandit Queen etc were passed, 34 such films have been passed. They have to trace these cuts to something, they cannot be arbitrary.”.When asked whether they (producers) would be willing to remove the scene where the protagonist urinates towards a crowd, Kadam agreed saying,.“We will remove that scene” .With regards to the other cuts ordered by the committee, Sethna continued to struggle in defending them as strongly as they were opposed. Now that one cut has been agreed upon by the producers, it will be interesting to see what happens to other scenes that have been asked to be removed from the film..Following the arguments, the bench reserved orders and is expected to deliver an order on Monday.