Pahlaj Nihalani, whose decisions as the CBFC chief repeatedly angered the film fraternity, was on Friday replaced by noted lyricist and ad guru Prasoon Joshi, drawing widespread applause from the film fraternity.
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, who has been appointed a member of the censor board, told IANS about the structural changes in the government-appointed body which oversees all movies before they are released in India.
Agnihotri said Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani was looking at the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a fresh perspective. "With Prasoon Joshi heading it, it was tempting for me to come on board."
Nihalani, who has been a film producer and describes himself on Twitter as "true Indian", took over as CBFC chairperson in 2015 from danseuse Leela Samson, a year after Modi became the Prime Minister.
#PahlajNihalani with his final message to all of us.#PahlajNihalaniSacked pic.twitter.com/vx7IajjWr0
— FilterCopy (@filtercopy) August 11, 2017
#PahlajNihalaniSacked
— Sagnik Misra (@Sangy_Sagnik) August 11, 2017
Bollywood right now😂😂 pic.twitter.com/TaSueu4pnq
Pic 1 : How close #PahlajNihalani was to reality
— Yo Yo Funny Singh (@moronhumor) August 11, 2017
Pic2 : How close #PrasoonJoshi will be to reality#PahlajNihalaniSacked #NihalaniSacked pic.twitter.com/vNqhoGrHX3
But he began running into skirmishes with film producers over cuts, beeps and disclaimers he insisted on, which the industry often found unfair.
Hollywood movie "Fifty Shades Of Grey" became the first victim to his ways of censorship. It was not allowed to release in India over its erotic content.
Nihalani soon turned his attention to the Indian industry with films like "NH10", "Dum Laga Ke Haisha", "Aligarh", "Udta Punjab", "Haraamkhor", "Lipstick Under My Burkha", "Indu Sarkar" and "Babumoshai Bandookbaaz" facing his wrath.
Even James Bond film "Spectre" couldn't escape his scissors. It was released only after its kissing scenes were cut short.
In "Udta Punjab", a movie about the drug problem in Punjab, Nihalani and his examining committee insisted on as many as 89 cuts, triggering widespread condemnation.
Joshi's appointment as the new censor chief drew appreciation.
Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who led a panel that has made recommendations for a revamp of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, told IANS: "Prasoon Joshi is an excellent choice. He is a very fine poet and also headed one of the best advertising agencies. So his understanding of the medium is very good."
Govt : Sack Pahlaj Nihalani as #CBFC Chief and replace him with Prasoon Joshi.#Bollywood : #AchheDin 🤩#PahlajNihalani #PrasoonJoshi pic.twitter.com/e23B7w9BGa
— Bijay Mallick (@bjymlck) August 11, 2017
#PahlajNihalani is censored.
— Sagnik Misra (@Sangy_Sagnik) August 11, 2017
Victory of Bollywood 😂 pic.twitter.com/2zeygyC1Fs
#PahlajNihalani when asked about his achievements during his tenure as CBFC chief pic.twitter.com/nkokghaQ70
— The Night's Watch (@Doctorr_Saab) August 11, 2017
Bollywood reaction when they hear #PahlajNihalani departure pic.twitter.com/oqwd3R33Kh
— à¤à¤¸à¥œà¤¾à¤§à¤¿à¤•à¤¾à¤°à¥€ (@BhasadiKutta) August 11, 2017
Film industry right now. #PahlajNihalaniSacked pic.twitter.com/EBIHQ7kcFc
— Savio (@saviojoseph) August 11, 2017
Meanwhile Anurag Kashyap right now.#PahlajNihalanisacked.😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/3cZK1kPBrW
— ashutosh mahatma (@ashutoshmahatma) August 11, 2017
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, who ran into trouble with Nihalani over his political drama "Indu Sarkar", told IANS: "Prasoon is a very evolved person. He comes from the advertising background and will have a modern point of view. Choosing Prasoon is a welcome decision by the government.
"I would like to thank Smriti Iraniji and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathoreji for their decision. I am sure Prasoon will have a different outlook. He understands today's movies well."
Before cracking down on a variety of movies, Nihalani had produced a string of films including "Paap ki Duniya", "Aag ka Gola", "Shola aur Shabnam", "Aankhen" and "Talaash: The Hunt Begins".
