The censor board of the Central Board of Film Certification has refused to certify Prakash Jha’s upcoming film, Lipstick Under My Burkha. Of reason that leads to the CBFC’s rejection includes abusive language and “women’s fantasies”.
Lipstick Under My Burkha is set in a small town of India, is about four women who are in search of freedom. This Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak Shah, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur starring film has already won the Oxfam Award for Best Film on Gender Equality at the Mumbai Film Festival and the Spirit of Asia Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
“The story is lady-oriented, their fantasy above life. There are contentious sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society,” read the letter from CBFC, according to Mumbai Mirror.
The film was screened to CBFC’s examining committee in January and is now waiting for a formal letter from the Revising Committee. On receiving the letter they would advance to Film Certification Appellate Tribunal said director Alankrita Shrivastava. CBFC chief Pankaj Nihalani, however, told Mumbai Mirror that it was the producer’s duty to get the official letter from the revising committee’s office.
Director Shrivastava and producer Prakash Jha are celebrating film’s premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on February 24, believe that the film has been refused a certificate because it challenges patriarchy.
“It’s a feminist film with a strong female voice. I think that’s why they don’t want to certify it. As a filmmaker, I stand by the story and will fight for it till the end,” the director said.
