Pahlaj Nihalani reassures KJo over censoring of ‘OK Jaanu’

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani has reassured Karan Johar that his upcoming film ‘OK Jaanu’ will be certified on its own individual merit.

Johar’s last film ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ faced a difficult time at the censor board with certain kissing scenes allegedly cut out. Similarly, the recent Yash Raj Films’ ‘Befikre’ was let off easily with numerous kissing scenes throughout the film.

Talking to The Indian Express, Nihalani said, “So, I am corrupt if I don’t cut the kisses. I am corrupt and ‘sanskaari’ if I cut the kisses. I might as well go with the first option.”

Adding to this, Nihalani spoke about Johar’s next ‘OK Jaanu’, “The film that you mention has not come to us as yet. And we are certainly not going to certify it keeping ‘Befikre’ in mind as a yardstick. Nothing like, ‘Agar uske paas 20 kisses hain toh mere paas 10 (‘If they have 20 kisses, we have 10’.) Every film will be certified on its individual merit.”

Referring to ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’, Nihalani said, “You mean because we cut the kisses in ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and not in ‘Befikre’?”
“Firstly, let me make it very clear that there was no kiss between Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to cut in ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. Yes, we did cut the kiss between Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma because we felt that the kiss was unduly prolonged.” “Secondly, when his film was in trouble over the presence of a Pakistani artiste, I was one of Karan’s most vocal supporters. Karan is the son of my old friend, the wonderful Yash Johar who was one of the most upright and kind souls in this film industry. Karan is like my own son.”