Nihalani wants ‘saala’ removed from Jai Gangaajal: Prakash Jha

Pahlaj Nihalani has, however, said that Prakash Jha is not revealing the entire truth.

Director Prakash Jha has said that censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani asked him for some really silly cuts in his upcoming Priyanka Chopra-starrer Jai Gangaajal, including the removal of word ‘saala’. Jha said the cuts suggested will ruin the texture of the movie and he has moved to the tribunal against the decision of the censor board’s revising committee.

The Central Board of Film Certification had reportedly told Jha to clean out his soundtrack and visuals of verbal and physical violence. (Yogen Shah)

“What can I say? He wanted to give ‘A’ certificate. When I asked why, he said, ‘There are many abusive words in your movie. There is word ‘saala’. He wanted us to remove the word and certain scenes but I don’t think it is an abuse. It is used regularly by people. It is important to the texture of the movie,” Jha told PTI.

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“There is nothing explicit in the movie. My films deal with social issues and making those changes will be an injustice to my film.”

Priyanka Chopra plays the lead in Jai Gangaajal. (Twitter)

The director said he had first gone to the examining committee but the members there had a difference of opinion then he moved to the revising committee, which was presided by Nihalani himself.

Jha said Nihalani could have discussed and a solution could have been found but instead he handed over many cuts to him.

CBFC chief Nihalani, however, said that Jha was not telling the whole truth. (HT Photo)

“He has suggested 11 cuts and told me to beep the word ‘saala’. If I begin to do that then I have to beep it in 50 places.”

Nihalani, however, told PTI that Jha was not telling the whole truth.

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“I can’t talk about each and every movie that comes for certification. Prakash Jha had come to us and we had agreed to give him ‘A’ certificate without any cuts but he wanted an U/A certificate. We did not agree to it. He is not telling the entire truth,” he said.