By Sharanya Gopinathan
Ugh, how long is it going to take before Pahlaj Nihalani loses his job? We’ve been hearing rumours and reports suggesting it will be quite soon and honestly can’t wait for the day, because we’re sick of putting this man’s name in print and making him a minor celebrity in his own right just for being a champion of muzzling speech and free expression and making a mockery of his job as the head of the CBFC. The CBFC, by the way, actually stands for the Central Board of Film Certification, but due to the way it’s been operating lately, it’s now just commonly referred to as the “censor board”.
Recently, after the Kerala High Court issued a notice to the CBFC on their refusal to pass a Malayalam film called Ka Bodyscapes, an 18 member CBFC team had to travel to Thiruvananthapuram to view the film for the fourth time in a single year. And they still refuses to pass it immediately, instead asking for a two week extension to deliver their verdict, making this the second extension they’ve sought before the court on this movie.
Ka Bodyscapes touches on themes of homosexuality and identity, and the story plays out against the backdrop of real life events in Kerala. Jayan Cherian, the director, says Nihalani said that the movie denigrates women characters, but don’t you like to think that there must be some other reason for him needing to watch the movie four times?
Hilariously, when asked by Mid-Day about this movie, the repeated screenings and the lack of certification, Nihalani sounded oddly defensive as he said, “I am not answerable. It shouldn’t concern you if I have seen the film twice or five times.”
You can watch the trailer for the movie here: