Earlier today, news broke out that the CBFC had asked Pathaan's makers to revise certain parts of the film and the 'Besharam Rang' song, owing to the controversy surrounding the saffron colour clothing worn by Deepika Padukone. News reports on the matter quoted the CBFC Chairman, Prasoon Joshi saying, "The committee has guided the makers to implement the advised changes in the film including the songs and submit the revised version prior to theatrical release."
ETimes spoke to Pahlaj Nihalani about the matter, seeking his opinion on the revisions being asked of Pathaan and the controversial song Besharam Rang. Since Nihalani was the CBFC Chairman from 2015 to 2017. Expressing his views, Nihalani said, "The examining committee has suggested modification after viewing the film. There’s no guideline that states that a colour can be cut. You can suggest changes if there’s vulgarity or obscenity. But if they ask for cuts because of a colour, it would be a wrong proceeding. There could be pressure from the ministry."
He maintained that since he hasn't seen the movie, he can’t say if what the committee has suggested is right or wrong. Nihalani added, "It is the committee’s right to decide what cuts and modifications are needed. They will have to see the revised version. Prasoon Joshi might have given a statement but he has no right to watch Pathaan with the examining committee. He must have got pressure from the ministry to see the film carefully because of saffron colour. If they suggest a cut because of a colour then it would be a wrong proceeding."
Nihalani reminds us that similar noise was created before the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat and Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan too. He said, "A letter had come from the Home Ministry because of the law-and-order situation. We had to see that picture carefully. At that time, being the chairman of CBFC, I had taken clarification from the Home Ministry that we will watch the film according to the content of the film. There was nothing in Bajrangi Bhaijaan so we had cleared the film."
Summing up his opinion on the raging controversy around Shah Rukh Khan's film, Nihalani said, "Pathaan is a victim of controversy. The CBFC must have got pressurized from the ministry to delete this portion of saffron colour. Otherwise they had cleared the costume and the shot in the trailer."
