The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had ordered 20 cuts from the Govinda starrer Rangeela Raja written and produced by former chairman Pahlaj Nihalani previously. On Wednesday it justified its decision in court stating that the film objectifies women and demeans them. It further said that the film promotes misogyny, sexism and glorifies violence against women.
An affidavit filed by CBFC in Bombay High Court reads, “In a social milieu where we are taking strong actions on objectification of women, crimes against women, the examining committee of the CBFC has very responsibly suggested the aforesaid excisions or modifications in the film in public interest.” Nihalani during his tenure as CBFC chief between 2015 and 2017 brutally censored films on the grounds of obscenity and vulgarity.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="694"]
Rangeela Raja[/caption]
On Wednesday, the CBFC had filed an affidavit in High Court stating that the board takes strong objection to how the film Rangeela Raja glorifies violence and objectifies women. It further stated that the protagonist, “who is shown as having no repentance of his actions and crimes, including rape, adultery and treating women as a commodity for his sensual pleasures.”
[caption id="attachment_170319" align="aligncenter" width="960"]
Govinda, Mishika Chourasia , Pahalaj Nihalani and Shakti Kapoor[/caption]
The prescribed cuts also have dialogues where a woman is referred to as “kadak ghevar” (a bold woman) and another in which the hero rapes a woman but proudly refers to the rape as “swadishth khana” (delicious food).
The film has been directed by Sikander Bharti and stars Shakti Kapoor, Prem Chopra and newcomers Mishika Chourasia and Anupama Agnihotri.
