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The notoriously conservative Indian Censor Board has refused to clear the feminist movie 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' for being too 'lady oriented'!
The notoriously conservative Indian Censor Board has refused to clear the feminist movie ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’ for being too ‘lady oriented’!
Wow!!! Just Wow! The innocence and righteousness of the Central Board of Film Certification never fails you! I mean, women, makeup, premarital sex, older women falling for younger men- pssshhh! Who talks about that? These are not the issues that need to be shown to your average cinema-goer.
In a letter to Prakash Jha Productions regarding his film Lipstick Under My Burkha (LUMB), our very own and very ‘Sanskari’ Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has refused to give approval to the release of the film.
The reasons cited by the CBFC are as follows:
“Reasons for “Certificate Refused” to the film:
The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contanious sexual scenes and abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of the society, hence film refused under guidelines 1 (a), 2 (vii), 2 (ix), 2 (x), 2 (xi), 2 (xii) and 3 (i).”
The Story Is Lady Oriented. Their Fantasy Above Life – WTF Is CBFC Smoking? https://t.co/0VW1A3eP0O pic.twitter.com/rdV1OsNsfg — सात्विक स्नोब (@NotSoSnob) February 23, 2017Never miss real stories from India's women.Register Now
The Story Is Lady Oriented. Their Fantasy Above Life – WTF Is CBFC Smoking? https://t.co/0VW1A3eP0O pic.twitter.com/rdV1OsNsfg
— सात्विक स्नोब (@NotSoSnob) February 23, 2017
Now, let’s go through this one at a time and try to understand why the need to prevent us naïve viewers from watching such a transgressive movie arose!
“The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life.” – Of course! Shove feminism aside- feminism is a myth! Women are there to rear children only- how dare Alankrita Shrivastava (the Director) dream of creating a world where women want to define their roles on their own!?!
“There are contanious (sic) sexual scenes and abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of the society,” – Nope! Sexual scenes? In Indian movies? Never! If need be, rubbing two roses together is sufficient to show any sexual intimacy! (Not sure what ‘contanious’ means, but I’m sure you are on the right track, CBFC!) And abusive language and porno? The movie reel of LUMB needs to be washed in Gangajal! And obviously, one particular section of the society cannot be showcased with a bit of sensitive touch, in a different light! After all, clichés are all we must strive for!
So, what is wrong with LUMB? A movie showcasing and discussing sexuality, sexual transgressions by small town women and related issues, and abusive language is absolutely unfit for the Indian audience! That is what is wrong with it.
The pelvic thrust of certain actors and actresses in a tankful of Hindi ‘romantic’ songs is okay; the double meaning lyrics with cheap dance steps and music is okay; songs that positively leer at women are okay. But showing actual, pressing issues that women (no doubt, men, too) go through on an everyday basis is not okay.
Good job disproving the film, CBFC! We are proud of you!
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Alankrita Shrivastava and Prakash Jha’s Lipstick Under My Burkha is all set to hit the theatres on July 21, 2017, after The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) allowed the film to release with an ‘A’ certificate and some cuts.
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