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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
CBFC has again demanded 120 cuts and title change in Diljit Dosanjh starrer Punjab’95. Directed by Honey Trehan, the film is based on the life of Sikh-activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
Diljit Dosanjh starrer Punjab’95 has been in the pipeline for quite a long time now. Directed by Honey Trehan, the film based on the life of Sikh activist Jaswant Singh Khalra has yet again hit another roadblock in terms of getting a Censor Board clearance. According to the latest reports, the CBFC has asked for 120 cuts with several modifications in the film including a title change.
According to a report published in Mid-day, Diljit Dosanjh starrer Punjab’95 has been suggested 120 cuts. The report comes following a report in July that suggested recommended 85 cuts. According to a recent report, CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi watched the film along with other members of the reviewing committee and handed out the final changes.
A source informed the publication that the recommended cuts have increased from 85 to nearly 120. One of the major changes ordered is the name of Khalra’s character being replaced altogether. It has also been ordered that the film cannot be titled Punjab’95, as it refers to Khalra’s year of death. For the unversed, Khalra had gone missing in September 1995 and 10 years later, six Punjab police officials were imprisoned for his murder.
“Per the CBFC’s suggestion, the film will now be called Sutlej, denoting the river that unites Punjab. There are a total of almost 120 changes!,” a source said. It has also been revealed that the director Honey Trehan and producer Ronnie Screwvala argued with the CBFC over the name change of Khalra in the movie.
According to them, they won’t allow the change in the movie that highlights Khalra’s role in investigating the disappearance and killing of Sikh youths during the Punjab insurgency between 1984 and 1994. “Their point of argument was that Khalra is seen as a martyr by the Sikh community and removing his name will be disrespectful not just to him and his family, but to the entire community,” the source further added.
Furthermore, the report reveals that the certification board has stated that the film cannot claim to be based on real-life incidents as it would lead to ‘swaying of sentiments.’ As per the source, a Gurbani scene in the Diljit led-drama film is asked to be chopped. It has also been instructed that any mention of Punjab and the district of Tarn Taran be dropped. The display of the National Flag and any reference to Canada or the UK has to be removed altogether from the movie.
“If the makers agree to these changes, they will be handed the certificate before the week ends,” revealed the source. A final meeting will take place today where the makers will appeal to the CBFC against some of the suggested alterations.
It is important to mention here that the film was screened in front of CBFC for certification back in 2022. However, the makers didn’t get the certificate then and they have been working hard to get it cleared. The source was further quoted informing that it had also led to a court case with Screwvala appealing against the Censor Board’s then-ask of 22 cuts.
“The makers had eventually decided to pursue an out-of-court settlement,” said the source. The insider revealed that the Revising Committee had asked the makers to alter the line where the protagonists stated that over 25,000 people had been killed in Punjab. Meanwhile, the makers opposed the decision stating that the facts were based on real-life testimonies and the CBI court’s judgment from the ’90s.
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