85 cuts not enough?

Diljit Dosanjh plays (right) Jaswant Singh Khalra

The fate of Honey Trehan's second directorial venture, Punjab '95, continues to hang in the balance. The film tells the story of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who had attempted to uncover the disappearance and killing of Sikh youths during insurgency in Punjab between 1984 and 1994. We hear the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer was screened for the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Sunday, and the examining committee handed it 85 cuts. The troubles don't end there. Whispers suggest that despite the cuts, the CBFC has yet to greenlight its release.

An insider from the film's team told mid-day, "In spite of agreeing to the suggested 85 cuts, the makers were told that the film remains a contentious subject, and whether it should be released in the current times is a question. A final decision has yet to be taken by the CBFC."

Trehan

This is not Punjab '95's first run-in with the Censor Board. In December 2022, Trehan's movie - titled Ghallughara then - was screened for certification. The process reportedly took six months, with the CBFC asking for 21 cuts and a change of title. Ronnie Screwvala's production house had appealed against the decision in the Bombay High Court. As a result, the film, also starring Arjun Rampal and Suvinder Vicky, had to be pulled out from the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival's line-up.

Currently, even as the number of cuts has quadrupled from the Censor Board's 2022 ask and uncertainty looms large over the movie's release, a cast member says the makers are bullish about it reaching the audience. The actor said, "The film might be butchered, but the team will ensure its release. Right now, we are fighting for its existence." The person refused to divulge details about the team's future course of action.

Another source said that the producer has been discouraged from releasing it, since it raises questions about Khalra's death. The activist disappeared in September 1995, and 10 years later, six Punjab police officials were convicted for his murder. The source said, "The producer has been requested to write off the film as a bad investment. CBFC won't allow its release because it is considered to be a volatile subject. There are concerns that it shows cops in a poor light by reflecting Khalra's custodial death, and that could lead to violence across the country. The material needs to be reimagined drastically for release."
We texted Screwvala and Trehan, who didn't respond till press time.