There’s just one more day to Sanju‘s release but looks like Rajkumar Hirani will have to chop one scene out that had been a cause of controversy for the film. The director showed the Sanjay Dutt biopic to the CBFC last week and the movie has been cleared with just one cut. The authorities have asked the makers to remove the scene of the overflowing prison toilet.
Talking about why it was done, a source from the CBFC revealed,
The scene wasn’t adding value to the narrative besides displaying the helpless situation of the protagonist. It was a judgment call taken from an artistic point of view which the filmmakers agreed to.
Earlier this month, the movie had got in trouble when activist Prithvi Maske had written a letter to the CBFC regarding the scene.
The activist is quite happy with CBFC’s decision. Here’s what he had to say.
I was constantly taking legal advice on the matter. It is not favourable that something that shows the country and its administration in the wrong light, be passed. I was in touch with the CBFC and they assured me that my objection would be taken up with the makers of Sanju and addressed. The reason why the scene was cut is confidential information and will be given to me in a response, officially signed by CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi.
In an interview with Mid-day, Raju Hirani also explained why the scene was put in the first place.
The scene is from Sanju’s earlier stint in jail. It happened in 1993, during the monsoon. On that particular day, the drain in his cell overflowed due to heavy rains.
While the scene was a graphic one and many of us flinched while watching it, it was one of those scenes that added to the trauma the protagonist faced.
What do you think? Should the scene have been cut out?