Jan Ki Baat covers the frequency of bans and censoring by the authories. Recent case in point? Udta Punjab. A Quint report says that the Censor Board of India has made 89 cuts in the 2 hours 29 minute film. The Censor Board Chief also maintains that the films dialogues and narrative plot all amounts to vilification of the State, sketching Punjabs drug-addiction in a derogatory manner.
Udta Punjab had been under scrutiny of the Censor Board for Film Certification for its depiction of the States failure to deal with the growing problem of drug-abuse. The issue turned into a legal battle between the films produces and the CBFC Chief Pahlaj Nihalani fighting, for and against respectively, the films release. The States Public Health Department reported that 50-60% of Punjabs youth, in the age group 16-35, were addicted to drugs.
Who decides what should be censored and what should not; does such a position demands objectivity on part of the juror; is the Indian public still not used to mature cinema; should the censor board update its standards? The purpose of art is to reflect the problems in the society of be their cause? The team of Jan Ki Baat explores a number of questions linked to censorship, some of which deserve quick answers. The Zee News Report found complaints against the film with demands for removal of the word Punjab.