Sanskaari CBFC Replaces Rakul Preet Singh’s Alcohol Bottle With Flowers In ‘De De Pyaar De’

The song ‘Vaddi Sharaban’ from this week’s big release De De Pyaar De has worked time. It features a free-spirited Rakul Preet Singh downing few pegs of alcohol and dancing to her heart’s content. She looks a million bucks in the saree and the way she seductively holds the alcohol bottle, balancing it on her slender waist, has been much liked. If you wanted to experience this madness in all its glory on the big screen, then get ready for some bad news. The Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has compelled the makers to do away with the alcohol bottle. And shockingly, the bottle of booze is replaced with flowers!

A look at the cut list of De De Pyaar De reveals that the film got hold of the censor certificate on May 7 and that it is 2 hrs 14 minutes long. There have been three modifications in the film. Two of them were dialogues were double entendre. These dialogues were ‘performance better hoti hai’ and ‘Manju ji ke aalu O ho ho…wahi ache hai’. One can guess that since this is a U/A film, such one-liners were asked to be deleted.

But the third modification is quite amusing to say the least. As per the cut list, the makers had to delete the visuals were the heroine was holding an alcohol bottle and replace it with flowers. Also, in the ‘Vaddi Sharaban’ song, the scenes of heroine holding the bottle have been modified which we assume is another word for ‘considerably reduced’. The list also mentions that these modifications have been made as per the order of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). For those who are unaware, any film submitted for certification is initially viewed by an Examining Committee (EC) of the CBFC. If the filmmaker feels that cuts asked by EC are unfair, he can approach the Revising Committee (RC). If still unsatisfied, he can appeal to the FCAT. The FCAT is usually seen as liberal and understanding and have passed films like Raman Raghav 2.0, Mohalla Assi, Kaalakaandi etc with negligible cuts. Even the recently released No Fathers In Kashmir escaped almost unscathed thanks to the FCAT. Hence, it’s shocking that the same Tribunal got uncomfortable at the sight of a lady drinking and making merry.

Readers would recall how during last year’s blockbuster Padmaavat, a similar kind of diktat was laid down by the CBFC. They asked for Deepika Padukone’s midriff to be covered in the song ‘Ghoomar’. She was playing a character revered as goddess by many people and also the film had led to a massive controversy with even violence reported in parts of the country. The CBFC hence got too cautious and made this demand. The makers accepted it and Deepika’s waist was covered thanks to CGI. When it comes to De De Pyaar De, it’s a fictitious film and no one in the film is playing a real-life and god-like character.

A source from the industry says, “Let’s wait for the film to release. We need to know the context of the scene before jumping to conclusions. Also, the part where the flower has been put instead of alcohol might not be a part of the said song – it might be a different sequence altogether. Even then, it’s very strange that such an order was passed by the CBFC. Heroines have been shown drinking since 55-60 years in our films or even more than that. Then it was taboo and now it’s fully acceptable. And the visuals of ‘Vaddi Sharaban’ indicate that the makers have shot in a classy manner. It doesn’t look derogatory in any way. Then why did they ask for such a modification beats me!”

We contacted producer Luv Ranjan to comment but he was unavailable. 4 years ago, his third directorial venture Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 also got an unfair treatment at the CBFC. They chopped off all abuses in the film and then went on to give the film adults-only certificate.