Irony. That's how one can describe ex-CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani's recent statements about Julie 2. The sanskaari chief has become the distributor of erotic thriller Julie 2 and going by his today's statements at the trailer launch of the film, he redefined hypocrisy in a single go.
“It is a very clean, adult movie. If I were there, I would’ve given it no cuts at all. It doesn’t have obscenity or any cuss words. It’s a complete adult, family film," said Nihalani, who further emphasized, "This is my business. This is an adult film and I am asking for an ‘A’ certificate only, not for ‘U’ or ‘U/A’… I am sanskari, it’s in our mitti, India is a place where nothing is bigger than sanskar. I was, am and will be this (sanskari).
*Eyes Rolling*
As a producer-director, these remarks were nothing but ridiculous considering how Pahlaj himself had axed and rejected the filmmakers’ films, giving them a U/A and A-certificate.
When asked what attracted him about Julie 2 script, the former censor board chief said, “If I tell you everything here, what will you see in the film? I know why you asked me this. But let me tell you there is no burkha (taking a dig on Lipstick Under My Burkha controversy) here. The story of Julie 2 is very relatable. You will realise this once you watch it.”
Like really!!!
What more, by the end of the press conference, Nihalani challenged the media persons to watch Julie 2 and then decide if he, indeed, has turned into an a-sanskari.
Just like the tagline of the erotic-thriller- 'bold, beautiful and blessed'-, we cannot say the same about neither the film nor its so-called distributor.
