Jayan Cherian, the New York-based director of the noted film, Papilio Buddha , has found himself on the wrong side of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) yet again.
The film certification agency — which cleared Papilio Buddha , an environmental fiction film focusing on the struggles of the Adivasis for public screening after a protracted tussle — on Monday declined to clear Mr. Cherian’s new film, Ka Bodyscapes on grounds that it contained “sensitive gay scenes, use of derogatory words against women, and vulgar dialogues.”
Choices and liberties
A love story hinging on the contemporary issues of sexual choices and civil liberties, with special focus on the stereotypical demands on women, Ka Bodyscapes was well received when it was previewed for invited audiences in Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thrissur early this month.
Mr. Cherian, on a brief sojourn to Kerala primarily to obtain certification for the film, said the CBFC regional office in Thiruvananthapuram has recommended the film for viewing by a ‘Revising Committee’ led by the controversial CBFC chairman Pahlaj Nihalani.
“Strangely, it hasn’t given me a rejection certificate as it did last time. In a deft ploy, the three-member committee has “recommended” the film “for the consideration of the Revising Committee”. They appeared blissfully unaware of issues like the public humiliation of women on account of their being in the menstruating age. One of them thought that the movie targeted a certain [communal] group. A scene showing the bare back of a person as he strolled to the beach was objectionable to another. They wouldn’t have anything from paintings to scenes with lithographed poems in the background,” he says.
“I have already spent Rs.30,000 by way of fee and screening expenses. I will have to shell out another Rs. 9,000 or so for another screening before the revision committee as and when it agrees to view it,” fumes an agitated Mr. Cherian.
World premiere
The film had its world premiere at BFI’s LGBT festival which was held in London last month.
The film, made by Papilio Buddha director, now goes before a revising committee
