The Bombay High Court on 13 June, 2016 asked the Central Board of Film Certification to give Udta Punjab an ‘A’ certificate with only one cut.
It is supposed to release on the 17th of June.
The cut scene in question here is where Shahid Kapoor’s character Tommy Singh is seen urinating in front of a crowd.
Director Abhishek Chaubey said that he was “terribly relieved” and happy despite the film receiving one scene cut, given the circumstances.
There had been allegations that the film was defaming Punjab, or exploiting the political situation in the state, but the High Court cleared it up by saying that sociologically and legally abuse can be used.
It also advised the film-makers to keep a check on the amount and kind of abuses used in their films.
Prior to this the CBFC had made 89 cuts (including chopping off of half the title of the film) in the film, but they were all (barring one) overruled by the court.
The Court also said that the board’s duty is to give a certificate and not make cuts.
The film shows the menace of drug abuse and the censor board supposedly took out everything that formed the core of the film.
Co-Producer Anurag Kashyap sought justification from the board in front of the court, upon which Judge SC Dharmadhikari asked the board to give the film a certificate instead of making cuts.
With Punjab all set for assembly elections, this film had become an even more sensitive issue.
However, in the eyes of the court, none of the characters in the film or the plot itself shows negativity pertaining to Punjab. The portrayal is that of drug abuse an that is how it should be interpreted.
