'Padmavati' makers putting pressure to clear film: Censor board chairman

The chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Prasoon Joshi today criticised the makers of "Padmavati" for pressurising the censor board to clear the film without completing the paperwork.

Prasoon Joshi said that the application of the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film had come up for review last week and the filmmakers had admitted that the paperwork wasn't complete. He revealed that the disclaimer whether the film was a work of fiction or historical had been left blank.(Also Read: Rajput Karni Sena president 'won't let Padmavati release', calls for Bharat Bandh on Dec 1)

"Padmavati's application came up this week for review. Makers admit paperwork isn't complete. The disclaimer whether the film is work of fiction or historical was left blank and on being asked to provide important documents, target CBFC for "looking the other way". It is surprising," the CBFC chairperson told ANI.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Prasoon Joshi accused the filmmakers of treating the certification process "haphazardly" to suit their convenience and said they were pressurising the censor board to accelerate the process of clearing the film.

"It’s myopic to treat certification process haphazardly to suit convenience. On one hand, holding CBFC responsible and pressurising to accelerate process and on theother hand, attempt to subvert the very process, sets an opportunistic precedent," the censor board chairperson said.

He also slammed the filmmakers for screening the film for the press and on national channels without the censor board "having seen or certified" the film.

"Disappointing that 'Padmavati' is being screened for media and getting reviewed on national channels without the CBFC having seen or certified the Film. This compromises role of systems and
balances that are part of a functioning industry," he added.

The film was apparently screened for select members of the press on Saturday morning.

On November 16, the CBFC sent back the film citing technical problems.

A CBFC official also slammed the makers of "Padmavati" today for allegedly screening the film to several private individuals before CBFC certification.

"The way Padmavati's makers screened it for individuals before CBFC certification isn't in good taste. There is a thin line between private and public exhibition of a film and this screening without certification sets wrong precedent. CBFC isn't happy with this attitude," the CBFC Official told ANI.

Padmavati, which is up for release on December 1, stars Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. The film has been accused of distorting history by the Rajput Karni Sena, the Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha and the Bajrang Dal.

The objection is to an alleged dream sequence between Ranveer Singh's Alauddin Khilji and Deepika Padukone's Padmavati, an accusation Sanjay Leela Bhansali has repeatedly denied.