'Central Board Of Film Certification Is A Confused Organisation,' Says Pahlaj Nihalani

New Delhi: Pahlaj Nihalani, who was sacked as the Central Board of Film Certification chief on August 11, says the Censor Board is a 'confused organization and its guidelines do not stipulate that films should not be cut,' reported news agency IANS. "Let me make one thing clear. The CBFC guidelines do not stipulate that films should not be cut. Yet I was pressurized from the top to not cut, only certify. The CBFC is a confused organization. We need progressive guidelines. Without them, we are stuck in a time-warp," IANS quoted Mr Nihalani as saying. Recently, Pahlaj Nihalani faced a lot of criticism after he asked the makers of Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma's Jab Harry Met Sejal to remove the word 'intercourse' from one of the mini trails. However, he later allowed the same word to be used in Bengali film Dhanonjoy.

"I had no problem with the word. 'Intercourse' has been allowed in the new Bengali film Dhanonjoy. No, I am not a prude. But I am pragmatic. I know Shah Rukh Khan's fans are children. And parents wouldn't have liked him talking about intercourse in Jab Harry Met Sejal," IANS quoted Mr Nihalani as saying.

Speaking about his ouster, Pahlaj Nihalani told IANS that he was 'surprised' to see filmmakers whose films he had cleared rejoicing.

"I can understand Anurag Kashyap feeling happy about my departure from the CBFC. He has been openly campaigning against my tenure as the CBFC chairperson. There is no hidden agenda in his malice. It's all out in the open. I believe he has been singing songs after my exit from the CBFC. Glad to bring happiness in his life. But some of the others 'welcoming the change' have been telling me on my face that they had no problem with me at the CBFC. And now they say they're happy to see me go?," IANS quoted Mr Nihalani as saying.

During his tenure as the chief of Central Board of Film Certification, Pahlaj Nihalani was accused of morally policing films and demanding irrational cuts. He courted controversies after he demand for multiple cuts in films like Udta Punjab, Lipstick Under My Burkha, Babumoshai Bandookbaaz and Indu Sarkar.

Adman-lyricist Prasoon Joshi has now been appointed as the chief of the Central Board of Film Certification for a period of three years or until further orders. Vidya Balan, Vivek Agnihotri, Gautami Tadimalla, Narendra Kohli, Naresh Chandra Lal, Neil Herbert Nongkynrih, Waman Kendre, T S Nagabharana, Ramesh Patange, Vani Tripati Tikoo, Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Mihir Bhuta will be joining him on the Censor Board.

(With IANS inputs)