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Culture

Censor Board Deletes 'Mann Ki Baat' From Film Dialogue Because It Is the PM's Show Title

According to director Dakxin Chhara, Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani told him, "PM ka radio show hai, delete the line."

In another absurd move by the Censor Board, the line “Ek mann ki baat kahoon? Tum character accha bana lete ho!” has been scrapped from upcoming movie Sameer because it includes ‘mann ki baat’ which is also the title of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio show.

The movie’s director Dakxin Chhara told Mid-Day, “They categorically asked for the words ‘mann ki baat’ to be removed from the first sentence.”

Chhara also said that he does not know how the line violates the Cinematograph Act since “We were not given an oral hearing before Censor Board members, which is supposed to be mandatory.” And complained about the fact that the film, which is based on the Ahmedabad blasts, has been asked to delete several scenes with bomb blasts in them despite being given an ‘A’ certificate by the board.

And according to the Huffington Post, when he approached Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani for an answer, the latter simply said, “PM ka radio show hai, delete the line.”

Other inexplicable decisions by the Censor Board include demanding the Hanuman Chalisa be deleted from scenes in recently released Phillauri, denying certification to Lipstick Under My Burkha and deleting sex scenes from Oscar-winning movie Moonlight.