In light of his film Phule being in the centre of a controversy after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) suggested cuts and backlash from Brahmin groups, director Ananth Mahadevan, in an interview with The Times of India, said that we are an "immature society" that has "regressed in many ways”.
The filmmaker also spoke about the "tweaks" made by the CBFC, adding that he wouldn't like his "film to be touched".
When asked if there is a solution to the issue of “people jumping the gun without looking at the full picture”, he said, "I don't think so. Not even in the future, because we are an immature society. This comes forth either through some unnecessary prejudices or provocations or whatever, but we do not seem to have progressed. In fact, we seem to have regressed in many ways...caste discrimination and gender discrimination continue to plague our society… We are still so self-centred and materialistic. Technological advancements do not cover up your social regressions."
He also spoke about the “tweaks” suggested by the CBFC. “I am quite amused at these things because it was not something so major to be labelled fair or unfair. As a filmmaker, I would not like my film to be touched, and that too with such insignificant and innocuous changes. I don't understand why we are so nervous about how people will react or how sensitive they are. I think we should respect the sensibilities and the sensitivities of the audience. This film does not exaggerate or fictionalise history,” he said.
The director also responded to the fact that the CBFC is a certifying body and there is a “difference between censorship and certification that many aren’t aware of”. “In India, we did try to amend the process, but the problem is that with the certification, we retained the censorship too,” he said. “I agree that there should be self-censorship while making a film, and there is a cinematic language that one must use for that. I do it too. But by suggesting cuts in a film, you are just defeating the very purpose of certification. Then you might as well call yourself a censor board and not a board of film certification.”
Phule is based on the life of social reformers Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule, who fought against caste discrimination. The film landed in a soup when some Brahmin groups opposed its content. The CBFC granted Phule a ‘U’ certificate on April 7 but had asked for certain edits, including the removal of references like ‘Mahar’, ‘Mang’, ‘Peshwai’, and a modification of the phrase “3,000 saal purani ghulami” to “kai saal purani ghulami”. The film was earlier slated to release on April 11, but owing to the backlash, it will now hit theatres on April 25. Phule stars Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa.