'Udta Punjab' controversy: Bombay HC to pronounce order today

Mumbai: Hearing on Bollywood film 'Udta Punjab' (a movie that deals with the drug menace in Punjab), begins in the Bombay High Court.

The HC is expected pronounce its order on the censorship of  the film today.

A Division Bench of Justices S.C. Dharmadhikari and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi had adjourned the matter earlier on Friday after hearing the plea filed by Udta Punjab's co-producer Phantom Films against the 13 cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in the movie.

The High Court told the CBFC that the multiplex audience is mature enough, adding that people should be allowed to see the film as everybody has a choice.

During the hearing, the CBFC lawyer informed the High Court that the words used in the songs of the film are very offensive, the scenes in the movie which have been asked to cut are very vulgar, the dialogue "zameen banjar to aulaad kanjar" is also very abusive and the dog, which has been named as Jackie Chan, is also objectionable.

When the board went on to justify all the 13 cuts saying the film was meant for public exhibition, the High Court said the CBFC should only certify a film and not censor it.

Information and broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley had last week said the film certification norms will have to be liberal and 'some very radical changes' will be announced over the next few days.

After much controversy the CBFC on Sunday gave the nod to Bollywood film 'Udta Punjab' with 'A' certificate

The movie created a major controversy after it ran into trouble with the CBFC, with officials reportedly demanding 89 cuts in it and the removal of the word 'Punjab' from the title.

CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, however, said the film certification board did not ask for removal of word 'Punjab' from the title.

"Today, the film has been passed with 'A' certificate. The claim of producer to remove the title of the film by board is false. We never asked for its removal. But he said so in front of the media to gain publicity. All these reports are false," said Nihalani.

The CBFC chief said that the final movie was being released with 13 cuts.

"The board recommended 13 cuts in the film, which are valid. All the words under those 13 cuts have been removed and the film has been passed," added Nihalani.