Pahlaj Nihalani defends U/A rating for ‘The Jungle Book’

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani wonders why people, especially film producer Mukesh Bhatt, are trashing the board’s decision to give ‘The Jungle Book‘ a U/A certificate.

In an interview, here’s what Nihalani had to say:

Q. Mukesh Bhatt feels the CBFC belongs in the garbage can?

Many people would have the same opinion about some of the films he produces. It’s all a matter of perception.

Q. But why does he suddenly have these hate pangs about the CBFC? Because you gave a ‘U/A’ certification to the beloved children’s story ‘The Jungle Book’?

Correction. I didn’t. The CBFC, an organisation appointed by the ministry Of information and broadcasting, of which I happen to be the chairperson, thought it sensible and wise to grant ‘The Jungle Book’ a ‘U/A’ certificate.

Q. But your board member Mr. Ashoke Pandit has been quoted as saying the decision was yours, not the CBFC’s?

I have nothing to say about his comments. But as a board member, he is not allowed to give out confidential information on a public platform, especially when it is not true.

Q. Coming back to Mukesh Bhatt’s objections to the ‘U/A’ for ‘The Jungle Book’…

Why is he talking about others’ films? Didn’t have his own release ‘Love Games’ this Friday? Why is he so bothered about certification for ‘The Jungle Book’ when the producer, Siddharth Roy Kapur, has gone on record to say he has no problem with ‘U/A’ for ‘The Jungle Book’. And there’s one thing that people opposed to the ‘U/A’ certification for ‘The Jungle Book’ need to realise.

Q. What is that?

The film has been given the same rating all over the world in the UK, US, Canada, the Philippines. In the US and UK, it has been given a ‘PG’, parental guidance rating, which is the equivalent of our ‘U/A’. Would Mukesh Bhatt like to throw the American and British censor board in the garbage can as well?

Inputs from IANS

Also Read: “I WAS REWARDED AROUND RS. 3000,” SAYS NANA PATEKAR, WHO GOES NOSTALGIA TRIP WITH ‘THE JUNGLE BOOK’S SHERE KHAN