'Lipstick Under My Burkha' gets 'A' certificate

Konkana SenSharma in a still from Lipstick Under My Burkha

After much struggle with the censors, makers of Lipstick Under My Burkha will be able to take the film to theatres. The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has directed the Censor Board to grant an A certificate to the women-oriented movie with "voluntary and some additional cuts and deletions" while observing that the cuss words and intimate scenes were integral to the storyline.

The tribunal, however, directed the makers of the film to mute a couple of Hindi words, including those referring to prostitutes.

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had refused certification to the film saying, "Women in the film are shown in negative light, particularly targeting women of certain community which might hurt sentiments."

Following the CBFC's decision, director Alankrita Srivastava and producer Prakash Jha had filed an appeal in the FCAT. The tribunal, headed by former Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin, observed, "The examining and revising committees of the CBFC have misdirected themselves in denying certification on the ground that the story of the film is women-oriented. There cannot be any embargo on a women-oriented film or one containing sexual fantasies and expression of the inner desires of women."

The makers had offered to make some cuts in the film. However, the FCAT suggested a few deletions in intimate scenes "without affecting in any manner the projection and substance of the scene or in any manner affecting the basic film." Sources said the makers are in two minds about accepting the A certificate, but have decided to exercise caution at the moment.

Lipstick stars Konkona Sen Sharma, Ratna Pathak, Aahana Kumra and Plabita Borthakur. It has been feted in the film festival circuit.