The upcoming film Phule, based on the lives of iconic social reformers Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, faces release delays amid censorship controversy, as filmmaker Anurag Kashyap criticizes CBFC decisions. The movie is directed by Ananth Mahadevan, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, aims to shed light on the couple’s battle against caste and gender discrimination has received editing demands from the censor board after objections from certain community groups.
What Is Phule Controversy?
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked the filmmakers to replace the line “3,000 saal purani ghulami” with “kai saal purani ghulami” and removing references to caste terms like Mang, Mahar, and Peshwai. The film was granted a ‘U’ certificate on April 7, but it’s release was extended from April 11 to April 25 following objections over its portrayal of community members.
This led filmmaker Anurag Kashyap to write a sharp critique of the CBFC and the system on Instagram stories. Anurag wrote, “Meri zindagi ka pehla natak Jyotiba aur Savitribai Phule pe tha. Bhai agar casteism nahin hota is desh mein toh unko kya zaroorat thi ladne ki. Ab ye Brahmin log ko sharam aa rahi hai ya wo sharam mein mare ja rahe hain ya phir ek alag Brahmin Bharat mein jee rahe hain jo hum dekh nahin paa rahe hain, ch****a kaun hai koi to samjhave. (The first play I ever did in my life was on Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. If casteism didn’t exist in this country, why would they have needed to fight against it? Now these Brahmin groups either feel ashamed, are dying of shame, or perhaps they’re living in some alternate Brahmin-only India that we’re unable to see. Someone please explain who’s the real fool here?)”
In another Instagram story he called the system “rigged” and questioned how political or caste-based groups get access to unreleased films in the first place. He wrote “My question is, when the film goes for censoring, there are four members in the board. How the f*** the groups and the wings get access to films until and unless they are given access to it? The whole f******g system is rigged”.
He also slammed what he sees as a pattern that films like Punjab 95, Tees, Dhadak 2 are being targeted for reflecting uncomfortable truths. In the third Instagram story he wrote “I don’t know how many other films are blocked that exposes the agenda of this casteist, regionalist, racist government… so ashamed to see their own face in the mirror. So ashamed that they can’t even openly talk about what it is about the film that bothers them. F*****g cowards.”
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Not just this, in an another long Instagram post, the filmmaker pointed out the hypocrisy of denying caste’s existence and further wrote, “During the screening of Dhadak 2, censor board told us that Modiji has eradicated the caste system in India. On the same grounds, Santosh couldn’t be released in India either. Now, Brahmins are objecting to Phule. Brother, if there’s no caste system, how can you be a Brahmin? Who are you? Why are you getting worked up? If there’s no caste system, why did Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai exist? Either your Brahminism doesn’t exist according to Modiji’s claim that there’s no caste system in India, or everyone is being fooled. Decide once and for all, does casteism exist in India or not? People aren’t fools. Are you Brahmins or the ones calling the shots are one? Decide now”.
About Phule
“Phule” depicts the lives of 19th century social reformers who challenged caste discrimination and promoted gender equality in India.
