Promo in trouble over Nehru

The use of the term ‘Chacha Nehru’, as India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was referred to, has got the makers of Kya Dilli Kya Lahore in trouble. The Censor Board is yet to clear the film’s first promo that will be unveiled at the Wagah Border on August 14.

The use of the term ‘Chacha Nehru’, as India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was referred to, has got the makers of Kya Dilli Kya Lahore in trouble. The Censor Board is yet to clear the film’s first promo that will be unveiled at the Wagah Border on August 14.

School-children-pay-tribute-to-India-s-first-Prime-minister-Pandit-Jawahar-Lal-Nehru-on-the-occasion-of-his-birth-anniversary-celebrated-as-Children-s-Day-in-Patna

The censors have objected to a line of dialogue, ‘Hum toh Chacha Nehru Chacha Nehru karte reh gaye, par asli bhatije toh tum nikle’ (We kept calling him Chacha Nehru, but you turned out to be the real nephew). Vijay Raj, who plays a Pakistani soldier and a victim of Partition, speaks the line during a casual chat with an Indian soldier. Says producer Karan Arora, “It was not derogatory at all.”

The promo has now been sent to the revision committee which will investigate the context in which the dialogue has been used. “Hopefully, the committee will understand the gist and clear the promo,” says Karan.

But playing safe, the producers have also made a copy of the promo which doesn’t mention Nehru: “We are taking both versions with us to Wagah, as we will get the revision committee’s decision only on August 14,” says Karan.

When JP Singh, regional officer, Mumbai Censor Board, was contacted, he refused to comment on the subject.