If you think that you cannot believe your eyes, we reconfirm it. It is true that the Central Board of Film Certifiation (CBFC) rejected to certify Prakash Jha’s film “Lipstick Under My Burkha” for being ‘lady oriented.’ And here we thought that that was a good thing. But supposedly not in a country where females are not allowed to have feelings.
“The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are continous scenes, abusive words, audio and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society, hence film refused under guidelines (sic),” read the statement of the release issued by CBFC. As if lady oriented is not a right thing to be, as if intercourse is contagious, as if women in our society are not allowed to reproduce. Oh but wait! That is all that women in India are known for – to get ‘settled’ by churning out babies. Isn’t it Mr. Pahlaj Nihalani, head of CBFC? Then why such a taboo on physical expression when that is all women are known to do?
It is because India is a country of ironies and oxymorons (and also real morons.) We like to do everything behind closed doors, so that it is not ‘contagious.’ Especially when it comes to women, they are not allowed to have a voice. But people are now awakening to the glaring stupidity. The film’s director Alankrita Shrivastava is pushing for women rights and says she won’t stop until the film gets released. “I believe the decision to refuse certification to our film is an assault on women’s rights. For too long the popular narrative has perpetuated patriarchy by objectifying women or minimising their role in a narrative. So a film like ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha,” that challenges that dominant narrative is being attacked because it presents a female point of view. Do women not have the right of freedom of expression?” she said in a statement.
And even if we take into account the quality of the film, it is not just a movie made to satiate the inner desires like other films that CBFC has so easily cleared for certification. It holds much more meaning. The film has won the Oxfam Award for the Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival and the Spirit of Asia prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival. But let’ have a look at what films CBFC has cleared, shall we?
Not at all ‘Kool’ we must say!
Yes, adult comedies that will make you retch instead of laugh are the kind that CBFC thinks are ‘sanskaari’ enough for the Indian audience whereas a film like “Lipstick Under My Burkha” is ‘sinskaari.’ Why you wonder? Because it is okay for men to explore and express their physical self but not women. Oh no! We cannot give such power to the beings who are half part of the whole process.
As one might have guessed, the film fraternity is aghast at the way “Lipstick Under My Burkha” was sent back without certification noting that no certification is even worse that cuts. Here are some of the tweets from celebrities.
Why do we continue to hv the CBFC who indulges in Moral Policing & why should #LipstickUnderMyBurkha or any other movie be harrased ?
— Tehseen Poonawalla Official 🇮🇳 (@tehseenp) February 23, 2017
My Sincere 🙏🏻 to CBFC for refusing to Certify Prakash Jha's #LipstickUnderMyBurkha
You prove we are a million years behind Stone Age. pic.twitter.com/JYUI6GvJA2
— Ram Gopal Varma Parody (@RGVzoomined) February 23, 2017
Starring seasoned actors like Konkona Sen Sharma and Ratna Pathak, “Lipstick Under My Burkha” is our step towards better cinema and better story telling.
