Rangoon digital operators to be sued by CBFC for not showing anti-smoking disclaimer

Vishal Bhardwaj’s romantic war drama Rangoon has failed to impress the audiences as it has garnered only Rs 22.30 crore till the second weekend after its release. Now, it has run into further trouble.

International Business Times reports that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has found the makers grossly violating its guidelines and instructions in the film. Bollywood Life reports that the CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani had objected to the multiple smoking scenes in the film, particularly the ones involving Saif Ali Khan.

“Since the film is set in the 1940s when it was considered fashionable to smoke, the characters are shown smoking constantly. Smoking may have been fashionable in the past. But now, it is as unacceptable as eve-teasing and stalking. To see glamorous characters getting high on drugs is not CBFC’s idea of an evening of fun at the movies,” said Nihalani, as per the same report.

The board had instructed the makers to show an anti-smoking disclaimer before the opening credits of the film. However, it has now learnt that not only the disclaimer but the Censor certificate and the mandatory anti-smoking short films are also not being shown in the screenings in both India and overseas.

Nihalani has termed this as a ‘gross violation’ and decided to sue the digital operators. “The digital operators are screening less footage than what has been approved by the CBFC. It is a serious offence. We are investigating to see how deep the offence goes,” says Nihalani, as per the report by International Business Times.

Bhardwaj has also violated this CBFC norm in the past when he did not show anti-smoking short films before the screening of his 2013 political satire Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola.

Rangoon stars Kangana Ranaut, Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. It is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala.