Of creative freedom

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit spoke about the controversy surrounding his upcoming film 72 Hoorain.

The Central Board of Film Certification had rejected a censor certificate for the trailer for National Award-winning director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s film 72 Hoorain. This ruling has stirred concerns about creative freedom and censorship in the film business.

During the press conference, he said, “They (the Censor board) have asked us to remove some scenes and words from the trailer, but they have no objection to keeping those scenes in the film. We are questioning this contradiction. This film is not against any religion and is dealing with terrorism.” Producer Gulab Singh Tanwar also added, “Films are a mirror of society. They have a significant impact on society. These films are reflections of society’s genuine state and attempt to provide guidance. Sometimes topics arise in which a great deal of truth must be spoken. But there are instances when we are afraid to express the truth. We were up in India, where Pakistan is referred to as neighbouring country and Muslims are referred to as a minority. I’m not sure what society is terrified of. What sort of secularism is this, which comes in the middle of everything, this bothers me.”