Although the censor board has shown an unprecedented liberality by passing an inherently violent story like Paan Singh Tomar with a 'UA' certification (suitable to be seen with parental guidance), it wasn't easy getting a censorial clearance for the film.
Says a source as regards to the project, "Though the film is about within the Indian heartland and the characters speak a coarse raw earthy bhasha, they do not use expletives as such. There may be just one character played by veteran actor Rajendra Gupta, whose colourful language had the censor board running for the scissors and gunning for the gaalis."
Dhulia apparently needed to fight tooth and nail to prove that cleaning-out the character's language could be tantamount to emasculating him. Tigmanshu needed to wage an extended battle, and still he needed to finally expunge the expletives.
"There was a specially heated argument over one sequence towards the top where Irrfan's character is talking to Gupta," informs the source.
When contacted Dhulia said, "Yes, the censor board did have an issue with Rajendra Guptaji's dialogues. He plays Irrfan Khan's coach within the film. And he uses behench*d in his language liberally and usually. While I did conform to eliminate among the objectionable expletives, there is a scene towards the tip when Irrfan visits his old coach who asks, 'Why have you ever come to peer me?' Irrfan says he's come to listen to his gaali. Now, not to have a gaali here can be impossible. The entire sequence is predicated at the gaali."
Dhulia apparently argued his case. However the censor board was adamant, arguing that a 'UA' certification meant children would hear a member of the training community abusing in a movie.
Finally, Dhulia needed to accept a compromise.
Says the director, "I agreed to let Gupta Saab say 'behen' after which rather than the second one a part of the cuss word I'd put something like, 'di takki'"
Dhulia says he doesn't mind making the alterations. "I needed to make no cuts in my earlier film Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster regardless of its sexual content as it got a straight 'A' certificate. Despite the film's violent heart, the censor board agreed to provide Paan Singh Tomar 'UA' certificate. That widens my audience spectrum. To phir kuch adjustments to karni hi padegi."
Dhulia also needed to blur/ delete some scenes showing the characters smoking.
"But that's okay. I'm just happy that the censor board is calling at a movie with its given specific theme and milieu and never making arbitrary cuts," says the director.
Watch 'Paan Singh Tomar' Promo
