Central Board of Film Certification member Ashok Pandit has strongly critcised the move not to allow the references to Punjab in the movie Udta Punjab, and has squarely blamed Board chairman Pahlaj Nihalani for it.

"The decision of not allowing the word 'Punjab' is condemnable, a mockery of freedom of expression of a filmmaker," Pandit said.

Im confident that this decision is taken by our chairman. Weve been fighting against the diktats of our chairman. Not a single board member who is based in Mumbai will be involved in this mockery, he said.


Pandit is known for his anti-Nihalani stand. Last year also, he had called the CBFC chairman a tyrant.

All limits have been crossed. People will laugh at us that you cant take the name of even a place, Pandit said,

If there are 89 cuts in Udta Punjab, then the film loses its impression and basic ethos. You cannot massacre the film by giving so many cuts and saying that you cannot use the name of a state, he said.