One would think that 85 cuts is one too many for a film. But apparently not. Troubles continue for director Honey Trehan’s Punjab ’95, a biopic on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
In July, mid-day reported that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had not greenlit the -starrer even after suggesting 85 cuts (85 cuts not enough?, July 17). Now, it has come to light that CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi, along with the Revising Committee, watched the gritty drama last month and handed out a final round of changes. Sources tell us that the cuts have now sharply increased from 85 to nearly 120.
Not just that, one of the pivotal asks is that Khalra’s character be renamed altogether. ADVERTISEMENT Additionally, the movie cannot be titled Punjab ’95, which is a reference to Khalra’s year of death. The activist had disappeared in September 1995, and 10 years later, six Punjab police officials were convicted for his murder.
A well-placed source from the film’s team reveals, “Per the CBFC’s suggestion, the film will now be called Sutlej, denoting the river that unites Punjab. There are a total of almost 120 changes! The most pivotal change is to not call the protagonist Jaswant Singh anymore. Honey and producer Ronnie Screwvala told that they won’t allow this change in a film that highlights Khalra’s role in investigating the disappearance and killing of Sikh youths during the Punjab insurgency between 1984 and 1994.
Their point of argument was that K.
