The filmmaker says he wants the film released in theatres pan India, so now, he has hedged his hopes on the CBFC.
None much seems to have changed in the country’s censorship scenario. The government may have sacked Pahlaj Nihalani as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief for censoring films, but has also refused clearance to an award-winning film slated to be screened at the upcoming Mumbai film festival.
Malayalam film Sexy Durga was denied an exemption certificate by the I&B ministry --a document needed for films screened at film festivals without a CBFC certificate.
Talking to DNA, director of the film Sanal Kumar Sasidharan said he was informed of the government’s decision through a letter from MAMI (Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image) stating the film could hurt the religious sentiments of people and could create a law and order problem. MAMI organises the annual international film festival in Mumbai.
“Ironically, Durga in the film is not a reference to any goddess, but is just a character in the film,” Sasidharan said, adding that he was disappointed that the I&B ministry denied exemption to a film which had earned accolades at film festivals of Rotterdam, Tokyo, Mexico and Armenia among others. The film is a thriller that revolves around an incident encountered by a couple on the road on a night.
The filmmaker says he wants the film released in theatre across India and hence has pinned his hopes on the CBFC. “I have submitted the film to the CBFC and awaiting their word. I’m open to their suggestions of implementing cuts, but there is no way the name of the film can be changed at this point,” Sasidharan said.
If a film has been cleared by the CBFC, it can be screened at film festivals without an exemption from the I&B ministry.
Sasidharan also said Sexy Durga hasn't received any financial support from the government, unlike other films selected at prestigious film festivals.
This isn't the first time the I&B Ministry has denied exemption to a film which was to be screened at a festival.
Earlier this year, the ministry denied exemption to three documentaries during the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK).
While one of them was on the suicide of Rohit Vemula, others were about the unrest in Kashmir and on the JNU protests.
Around 150 filmmakers had written to former I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu urging him to allow the three films to be screened at the film festival, but the request had fallen on deaf ears.
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