CBFC denies certification to trailer of 72 Hoorain amid controversy; producer Ashoke Pandit REACTS, watch

CBFC denies certification to the 72 Hoorain trailer, sparking controversy over freedom of expression and portrayal of Muslims in the film.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

June 28, 2023 - 3:12 PM IST

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has reportedly refused to certify the trailer of the upcoming film 72 Hoorain, directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, according to producer Ashoke Pandit. Starring Pavan Malhotra and Aamir Bashir in lead roles, the film delves into the repercussions of violent extremism.

CBFC denies certification to trailer of 72 Hoorain amid controversy; producer Ashoke Pandit REACTS, watch

Ashoke Pandit expressed his disappointment and appealed to Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, and CBFC Chairperson, Prasoon Joshi, to address the situation.

Pandit, in his video message, criticised the CBFC for hindering their creative independence and freedom of expression. He highlighted the irony of the film receiving accolades such as a National Award and recognition at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), while the trailer was denied certification. Pandit raised concerns about the inconsistency in the board's decision-making process.

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Labelling the decision as regressive and detrimental to the artistic spirit, Ashoke Pandit who is the co-producer of the movie, said, "We are extremely hurt and disturbed because of CBFC's unfair decision of rejecting the trailer without any staunch reason. This action raises a big concern about creativity freedom and realistic filmmaking. We will not take this lightly and will knock on the doors of the high court too if needed. Further, we will also be requesting the I&B ministry to intervene and question the authority at CBFC for rejecting the trailer."

The director of the movie, Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, a two-time National Award Winner, who seemed visibly disturbed with CBFC'S decision, added, "The movie has won the National Award by the government and has received a censor certificate already. The trailer carries the same essence of the movie. So on what basis has CBFC rejected the trailer!" He added, "We would request everybody to watch the movie and then jump to any conclusion. The movie only states facts and certainly does not target any religion or hurt religious sentiments."

Producer Gulab Singh Tanwar stated that the unfair rejection by CBFC has caused immense hurt to the entire team, especially because the grounds of rejection seem to be purely baseless. "I just want to state that whatever the CBFC has done is not right. On one hand, the government applauds 72 Hoorain and bestows it with a National honour, and here we have the CBFC rejecting the trailer of the same movie for reasons better known and understood only to them. This is confusing and absolutely unfair."

The film, produced by Saarthie Entertainment and Aliens Pictures, explores sensitive themes and aims to initiate a dialogue on violent extremism. However, its depiction has evidently raised concerns among certain sections of society.