'A' big headache for item songs

The Censor Board of Film Certificationrsquos CBFC lsquonew rulersquo claiming to give an lsquoArsquo certificate to all item songs whether promotional or not is mired in confusion and controversy The first to come out into the open after encountering the certification issue were producers of Shootout At Wadala for the song Babli Badmash Priyanka Chopra in Babli Badmash a song from Shootout At Wadala which was initially given an lsquoArsquo certification as per a new rule Later it was given a UA certification by the Censor Board When Balaji Motion Pictures the makers of the movie submitted the song picturised on Priyanka Chopra to the Censor Board the regional officer informed them that the song will be given an lsquoArsquo certificate as per the new rule Surprised Balaji approached the revising committee who gave the song a UA certificate Earlier a source from the production unit of Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns which has an item song picturised on actor Mugdha Godse said ldquoOur song Media was also given an lsquoArsquo certificate and is not being promoted on TV channelsrdquo On the other hand the confusion regarding the rule intensified when Balaji contacted Censor Board CEO Pankaja Thakur She assured them that the rule was not a blanket rule and that they would be given a clearance which they eventually got However Thakur had written a letter dated January 22 2013 to the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting a copy of which is with MiD DAY stating that CBFC had come up with a rule according to which item songs would be given an lsquoArsquo certificate and the rule was already enforced from January 15 Surprisingly she has been denying the same when producers are contacting her regarding the implementation of the rule as no circular has been given to any general film bodies or producers Tanuj Garg CEO Balaji Motion Pictures said ldquoWe were told that the song would get an A certificate by rule However later we were told that the songs would be examined on a casetocase basisrdquo Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar said ldquoRight now we have not received any such circular And what about the English songs on satellite channels We as Indian filmmakers know our parameters and our songs are not vulgar Remember our songs are played in weddingsrdquo Ace choreographer Ahmed Khan who has choreographed three item numbers in Shootout At Wadala including the lsquoBabli Badmashrsquo song said ldquoIt is very difficult to cater to the masses with better item songs The songs are a part of the film since movies like Teesri Manzil and Sholay Now with heroines doing item songs the exposure quotient has gone down Such a rule will be a major obstacle in promoting filmsrdquo Meanwhile Mukesh Bhatt president of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India said ldquoI have written a letter to the I amp B Ministry a copy of which is with MiD DAY One canrsquot carry out such a sudden change when lots of films are in production and postproduction stage and crores are at stake The CBFC has to speak to producers and the guild and take them into confidence Also a specific time frame has to be setrdquo Filmmaker Subhash Ghai said ldquoIf a song or any scene hurts the sensibilities religion or ethics of the audience then they should give it an lsquoArsquo certificate But how can an item song be defined Suppose I shoot a song showing the love between Krishna and Radha which has been shot many times Will you call it an item song One cannot ban a song just by slotting it as an item songrdquo Director David Dhawan who revived item songs in Bollywood with Makhna in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan echoed Ghairsquos sentiments ldquoSometimes the female lead in a film does the promotional track Sometimes the song is a part of the screenplay I donrsquot understand how all of that can be slotted under the item song banner and be given an lsquoArsquo certificaterdquo CBFC CEO Pankaja Thakur remained unavailable for commentu00a0