Punjab’95: Diljit Dosanjh starrer based on Jaswant Singh Khalra faces demand of 120 cuts and title change by CBFC? Here’s what we know

As a dedicated follower of cinema with a deep appreciation for stories that resonate and reflect our societal struggles, I find myself deeply troubled by the ongoing saga surrounding the release of Punjab’95, starring the talented Diljit Dosanjh. The repeated roadblocks in getting a Censor Board clearance, including the recent demand for 120 cuts and a title change, seem nothing short of an insensitive attempt to sanitize history.

The film “Punjab’95,” starring Diljit Dosanjh, has been under development for quite some time. This movie, directed by Honey Trehan and based on the life of Sikh activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has encountered another obstacle in its path to Censor Board approval. As per recent updates, the CBFC has requested around 120 cuts and several alterations to be made in the movie, including a potential title change.

A new report from Mid-day states that the movie Punjab’95, starring Diljit Dosanjh, has been proposed for 120 edits. This is following an earlier report in July that suggested 85 cuts. As per the latest update, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi and other members of the reviewing committee have reviewed the film and provided the final list of changes.

According to a reliable source, the suggested reductions have risen significantly from 85 to approximately 120. A significant alteration requested is that the character of Khalra will be entirely replaced in the production. Furthermore, it has been instructed that the movie cannot bear the title Punjab’95, as it relates to Khalra’s year of passing. For those unaware, Khalra vanished in September 1995, and ten years later, six officials from the Punjab police force were jailed for his murder.

According to a source, due to the CBFC’s recommendation, the title of the film will now be Sutlej, symbolizing the river that connects Punjab. In total, there are nearly 120 modifications being made! Additionally, it has been disclosed that director Honey Trehan and producer Ronnie Screwvala had disagreements with the CBFC regarding the name change of character Khalra in the movie.

The group maintains that they won’t permit alterations in the movie focusing on Khalra’s involvement in probing the vanishing and murder of Sikh youngsters during the Punjab unrest from 1984 to 1994, as they believe that erasing his name would be disrespectful not just to him and his family, but to the entire Sikh community because Khalra is regarded as a martyr by them.

In my expertise, I must share some intriguing insights from a recent report. The certification board has expressed that the film I’m associated with cannot claim authenticity based on real-life events, as it may potentially manipulate emotions.

According to the source, if the makers consent to these proposed modifications, they’ll receive the certificate prior to the end of the week. Today, there will be a concluding meeting where the makers will present their objections regarding certain recommended adjustments to the CBFC.

Back in 2022, our movie was presented before the CBFC for certification, but unfortunately, we didn’t receive the certificate at that time. Since then, we’ve been putting in a tremendous effort to get it cleared. Interestingly, this issue even escalated into a legal battle when Screwvala took the Censor Board to court, challenging their initial request for 22 cuts.

According to the source, the creators ultimately chose to resolve their dispute outside of a courtroom through an agreement. The inside information suggests that the Scriptwriting Team was asked by the Committee to modify a statement in which the main characters claimed that more than 25,000 individuals had lost their lives in Punjab. However, the makers disagreed with this change, arguing that the details were backed up by genuine testimonies and a court ruling from the ’90s.

2024-09-25 15:55

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