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		<img align="left" alt="Movie poster of Udta Punjab" class="imgCont" height="464" src="http://bsmedia.business-standard.com/_media/bs/img/article/2016-06/08/full/1465381696-9853.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #DDD; margin-right: 10px; padding: 1px; float: left; z-index: 0;" title="Movie poster of Udta Punjab" width="620" />
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			Movie poster of Udta Punjab</div>
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A breakdown of the entire controversy surrounding the film and how it has progressed over the past few days

Movie poster of Udta Punjab

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	The debate around film censorship in India metastasized on Tuesday the producers of Udta Punjab, a film based on drug abuse in the state, was asked to make 89 cuts and remove all references to the state, including in the title.</div>
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	Anurag Kashyap, whose production house Phantom has co-produced the film, took to Twitter to criticise what he called the &lsquo;dictatorial&rsquo; policies of the Censor Board. Kashyap, in a series of tweets, attacked CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani&rsquo;s policies to decide a film&rsquo;s certification. In fact, one of his tweets was also addressed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;</div>
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	Later in the day, the producers approached the Bombay High Court seeking a copy of the order of Censor Board Review Committee on the film.&nbsp;</div>
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	<em>Business Standard </em>breaks down the entire controversy surrounding the film and how it has progressed over the past few days.</div>
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	<strong>What is the film based on?</strong></div>
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	The film is set in Punjab and reportedly highlights the increasing drug abuse problem in the state. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the film&rsquo;s star cast includes Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh. &nbsp;</div>
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	<strong>What are the objections raised by the Censor Board?</strong></div>
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	The Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) has recommended 89 cuts in the film and removing references to Punjab, politics or elections. It has also held back the film&rsquo;s certification. It has reportedly claimed that the references to the name of the state could influence Assembly election scheduled there next year.</div>
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	Interestingly, it had initially cited 40 cuts based on explicit language and drug. The producers had then approached a tribunal to seek an &lsquo;A&rsquo; certificate so that the cuts wouldn&rsquo;t have to be implemented.&nbsp;</div>
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	To their surprise, however, it &nbsp;is the revising committee that has now recommended more cuts than originally asked for and has asked for removal of &lsquo;Punjab&rsquo; from the title.&nbsp;</div>
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	According to at least one report, the Board wanted the film to be set in a fictional land than a real state.&nbsp;<br />
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		<strong class="read_more">ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="/article/opinion/is-pahlaj-nihalani-out-to-bury-the-indian-film-industry-116060700579_1.html" target="_blank">Is Pahlaj Nihalani out to bury the Indian film industry?</a></strong></div>
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	<strong>Kashyap & Twitter</strong></div>
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	The producer&rsquo;s Twitter rant, which ranged from calling the Censor Board chief a dictator to tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to stating that he has experienced what it is to live in North Korea, has itself become cause for debate.&nbsp;</div>
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	Kashyap, himself a critically-lauded director also snubbed political personalities who sided with him. &ldquo;I request Congress, AAP and other political parties to stay out of my battle. It&#39;s my Rights vs the Censorship. I speak only on my behalf. It&#39;s my fight Vs a dictatorial man sitting there operating like an oligarch in his constituency of censor board, that&#39;s my North Korea. Rest of you go pick your own fights. I will fight mine. So please don&#39;t colour my fight with any political affiliation because there is none,&quot; said Kashyap.</div>
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	Nihalani, in his response, accused Kashyap to have taken money from the Aam Aadmi Party to make this film.&nbsp;</div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		I always wondered what it felt like to live in North Korea .. Ab to plane pakadney ki bhi zaroorat nahin..</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/739852868736458753">June 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		There is no film more honest than UDTA PUNJAB .. And any person or party opposing it is actually GUILTY of promoting drugs</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/739936912719368192">June 6, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		It&#39;s my fight Vs a dictatorial man sitting there operating like an oligarch in his constituency of censor board, that&#39;s my North Korea</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/740069384325058560">June 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		However much the trolls try to distract.. Fight with censors has always been there.. There was more faith now that was unfounded</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/740238724194312193">June 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		And it&#39;s pathetic that the party supported and paid trolls are trying to make me look like an agent of congress or AaP</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/740245763503067136">June 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<div>
	<strong>Politicking over the film</strong></div>
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	Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said, &ldquo;Punjab has a crippling drug problem. Censoring Udta Punjab will not fix it. The government must accept the reality and find solutions.&quot; Delhi Chief Minster and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal &nbsp;also said that he agreed with Kashyap&rsquo;s views.&nbsp;</div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
		I request Congress, AAP and other political parties to stay out of my battle. It&#39;s my Rights vs the Censorship. I speak only on my behalf</p>
	&mdash; Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/740068592431960064">June 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<div>
	People who support Kashyap and the film have said that Censor Board&rsquo;s decision is in line with outcome of elections in the state next year. It is said that drug problem is used by opposition parties as a campaign against the ruling Akali Dal &mdash; an ally of the BJP.&nbsp;<br />
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	Interestingly, Nihlani has <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/anurag-kashyap-took-money-from-aap-pahlaj-nihalani-116060800653_1.html" target="_blank"><strong>accused Kashyap of taking money from AAP</strong></a> to show Punjab in poor light. Kashyap has responded asking Censor Board chief to provide evidence to substantiate his claim.&nbsp;<br />
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	<strong>On divergent paths</strong></div>
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	Interestingly, a report in Mumbai Mirror states that the controversy surrounding the issue has landed the family of Pahlaj Nihalani in a soup. Nihalani&rsquo;s son, Chirag, and his daughter-in-law, Radhika, are actively involved in the film&rsquo;s promotions. While Chirag is a creative producer with Balaji Motion Pictures, and is associated with the promotional material for the film, Radhika is a part of the marketing team of the film. Balaji Motion Pictures and Phantom Films are the film makers of Udta Punjab.<br />
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		<strong class="read_more">ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="/article/pti-stories/kabir-khan-farhan-akhtar-criticise-udta-punjab-censorship-116060800602_1.html" target="_blank">Kabir Khan, Farhan Akhtar criticise &#39;Udta Punjab&#39; censorship</a></strong></div>
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Explained: The noise surrounding the Udta Punjab controversy

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Explained: The noise surrounding the Udta Punjab controversy

A breakdown of the entire controversy surrounding the film and how it has progressed over the past few days

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