MUMBAI: Kaminey’s release is less than a week away and it has been given an ‘A’ certificate by the censor board.
Director Vishal Bhardwaj along with his main cast Shahid Kapur and Priyanka Chopra are not enthused with the decision of the censor board as they feel the film could have been given a U/A certificate.
Speaking at a recent press conference Bhardwaj said, "To tell you the truth I am really disappointed but now am settling down with it because I cannot do anything about it. I do feel that there has been a little injustice as far as Kaminey is concerned. I feel it is very necessary to have a rating system in our censor board. We have three categories namely: U, U/A and A. The U/A category is so ambiguous because, between the age of 12 -15 there are so many changes in a child therefore it is necessary to make these categories as in the west like 12+, 15+, 18+ etc. It is shocking that since six years we have been trying to present this issue to the I&B ministry that atleast we should have a 15+ category but they have not done anything about it. We really don’t know when they will pass the bill. This film should have ideally gone in for the 12+ or 15 + category or either got an U/A. We as an industry have been entertaining people from all parts and all walks of life in India and such a small request from us has been ignored."
According to Bhardwaj, Kaminey is a very comic book kind of film and there is no offensive language in the film. "After Omkara I have got this label of making films with offensive language but I would like to clarify that there is no offensive language in the film. The censor board had a problem with the violence but the violence too is the comic book kind of violence and anyways there is so much violence everywhere these days, it’s become a part of life. I see my young son playing video games that are so violent," he adds.
Chopra adds, "I am also very disappointed because there is nothing that kids don’t already see, having said that we have to also respect the censor board. My film Fashion also got an A certificate but the film did very well so I am hopeful that this film will do well too despite restricted audience."
As for Kapur, this is by far his largest release and even though he is very excited about the film he says, "I was very surprised with the censor board’s decision because this is a fun film and there is absolutely no abusive language in the film. I don’t think there is anything objectionable in the film, it’s a film that I can comfortably watch with my family, but we really can’t do much about it. People tend to forget that Vishal has made children’s films too and they mostly relate him to Omkara. I think violence was the grounds on which the film got an A certificate."
UTV Motion Pictures will release Kaminey with 1100 prints on 14 August.
