Udta Punjab Row: Bollywood A-listers vs Udta Punjab's 89 Cuts By Censor Chief

Anurag Kashyap drags censor board to court!!

Top filmmakers today attended a press conference to say they stand with producer Anurag Kashyap's "Udta Punjab," and made a strong pitch for freedom of speech, attacking Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani, who has ordered 89 cuts in the film.

The petition, which will be taken up on Thursday, said the government and the censor board should share the committee’s decision on the “objectionable” scenes and dialogues in the film that is slated for release on June 17.

Here is 10 Facts , which tend Anurag Kashyap to drag censor board to the court

1. "I demand on behalf of the entire industry... that the ministry should remove Pahlaj Nihalani," said Mukesh Bhatt, head of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, alleging a "complete conspiracy to sabotage" Udta Punjab.
2. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said they condemned Mr Nihalani's allegation that the film is funded by the Aam Aadmi Party. He called it an "insult to the entire industry," and demanded an apology.
3. As he countered Anurag Kashyap's allegations of dictatorial behavior and arbitrary censorship, Pahlaj Nihalani today said about the filmmaker, "I have heard he has taken money from AAP."
4. "Nihalani should prove I have taken money. He does not even know how to lie," shot back Mr Kashyap, who today moved the Bombay High Court seeking a copy of the Censor Board's order to delete references to Punjab, politics and elections from the film, including the title.
5. With the controversy turning political, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Pahlaj Nihlani's statement makes it amply clear that he has stopped the film on the BJP's instructions." AAP has strongly supported Team Udta and said the film must release.
6. Mr Nihalani told NDTV that the cuts ordered have "nothing to do with the Punjab elections" and asserted that no political pressure influenced the board's decision. "The Centre never interferes with the Censor Board, there was no political influence," Mr Nihalani said.
7. Udta Punjab is slated for release on June 17 and Mr Kashyap told NDTV he hopes to be able to release his film on that date without changes. He has made clear that "Punjab" cannot be separated from his film.
8. Mr Nihalani told NDTV that the cuts ordered have "nothing to do with the Punjab elections" and asserted that no political pressure influenced the board's decision. "The Centre never interferes with the Censor Board, there was no political influence," Mr Nihalani said.
9. Mr Kashyap has said that there is a bullying attitude that counts on financial pressure faced by filmmakers to force them to back down.
10. At today's presser he said, "Only the audience has the right to reject a film." At the presser were, filmmakers Imtiaz Ali, Zoya Akhtar, Mukesh Bhatt, Ashoke Pandit and Sudhir Mishra among others.

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