Anurag Kashyap lashes out at CBFC, Brahmin community over Phule controversy

Filmmaker and actor Anurag Kashyap took to his Instagram handle and lashed out at the CBFC and Brahmin community over Phule controversy. The film directed by Ananth Mahadevan sees Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa essay the roles of Jyotirrao Phule and Savitirbai Phule. The film was scheduled to be released on April 10 but was delayed last moment owing to backlash from the Brahmin community. 

The makers have been asked by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to make multiple edits to the film before its release on April 25. The makers had to remove several caste references, including terms such as ‘Mahar’, ‘Mang’, ‘Peshvai’, and ‘Manu`s system of caste` after CBFC`s guidelines.

Anurag Kashyap slams CBFC for delaying film releases

Sharing his distress about the CBFC`s decision, Kashyap penned a note on his Insta stories saying, “Punjab 95, Tees, Dhadak 2, Phule- I don`t know how many other films are blocked that exposes the agenda of this casteist, regionalist, racist, government is blocked who is so ashamed to see there own face in the mirror. So, ashamed that they can`t even openly talk about, what is it about the film that bothers them, F….ing cowards.”

In another post, the `Gangs of Wasseypur` maker asked a very important question – before the release of the film how do groups and wings get access to the films?

He wrote, “My question is, when the films goes for censoring there are four members in the board. How the fuck the groups and the wings get access to films until and unless they are given access to it. The whole fucking system is rigged.”

Casteism hai ya nahin: Anurag Kashyap

He also shared a post on his Instagram feed questioning the hypocrisy around the existence of caste in India. Dhadak 2 ki screening mein censor board ne bola, Modi ji ne india mein caste system khatam kar diya hai . Usi aadhar pe Santosh bhi india mein release nahin hui . Ab Brahmin ko problem hai Phule se . Bhaiya, jab caste system hi nahin hai to kahe ka Brahmin . Kaun ho aap. Aap ki kyon sulag rahi hai . Jab caste system tha nahin toh jyotiba phule aur Savitri bai kyon the . Ya toh aap ka bahmnism exist hi nahin karta kyon ki Modi jinke hisaab se india mein caste system nahin hai? Ya sab log milke sab ko c*****a bana rahe ho. Bhai mil ke decide kar lo . India mein casteism hai ya nahi. Log chutiya nahin hain. . Aap Brahmin log ho ya phir aap ke baap hain jo upar baithe hain . Decide kar lo (During the screening of Dhadak 2, censor board told us that Modiji has eradicated the caste system in India. On the same grounds, Santosh couldn`t be released in India either. Now, Brahmins are objecting to Phule. Brother, if there`s no caste system, how can you be a Brahmin? Who are you? Why are you getting worked up? If there`s no caste system, why did Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai exist? Either your Brahminism doesn`t exist according to Modiji`s claim that there`s no caste system in India, or everyone is being fooled. Decide once and for all, does casteism exist in India or not? People aren`t fools. Are you Brahmins or the ones calling the shots are one? Decide now)”.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap10)

Prior to this, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha also used social media to question the film censorship. The `Thappad` director wrote on his IG, “Is there no caste system in society? Has it never existed? Why should we lie to ourselves? And then, why should only cinema be the one to lie? After all, the kind of content the Election Commission permits in speeches and what the CBFC allows in films—these cannot be two separate standards. Both are means of communicating with society.”

(with inputs from IANS)