Hanuman Chalisa muted from Phillauri
Stupidity presents itself in new ways and there are times when we are forced to wonder how much of it actually can humanity absorb it. The latest instance comes from a serial offender – Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). It has banned a scene in the upcoming Anushka Sharma starrer Phillauri. The scene has Suraj Sharma reciting Hanuman Chalisa to get rid of the lady ghost played by Anushka. We all are familiar with that couplet in the Chalisa,
“भूत पिशाच निकट नहीं आवे,
महावीर जब नाम सुनावे”
The Censor Board muted the entire sequence because even after reciting the Chalisa, the ghost does not disappear. Also, this is a religious text and it might end up hurting up the ever so fragile religious sentiments. This claim forces us to think the century the film board is living in and what thought process they are imbued with. Are they totally unaware that films are works of “fiction”? Someone should tell Mr. Pahlaj Nihalani, the board’s chairman that films can digress from his personal point of views on God, religion and everything else. And, his personal opinions are diabolically opposite to what the majority of well-meaning Indians relate to. So it’s high time he stops gagging films that are meant to be a platform for artists and directors to “freely” express themselves.
We were not yet over the bigoted diktat of banning the theatrical release of ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’ and here we are face to face with yet another pointless act of censorship.
Meanwhile, Twitterati was not at all approving of this nonsensical act. Here is how they reacted,
Censor Board Asks '#Phillauri' Makers To Mute 'Hanuman Chalisa' As It Fails To Get Rid Of The Ghost In The Film.
It's Time To Mute #CBFC! pic.twitter.com/EFt9v1oUwt
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) March 24, 2017
Convinced Pahlaj Nihalani is writing new movie (all male cast) in which Hanuman chalisa reciting hero drives away kissing gay ghost couples
— Shruti Ambast (@ShrutiAmbast) March 24, 2017
If Pahlaj Nihalani joins twitter, he will see 0 tweets on his timeline. Coz he'd mute everybody.
— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) March 24, 2017