NEW DELHI: Can a word be considered acceptable as the title of a film but objectionable when used in a song number?
It would appear so, if one goes by the legal notice sent by Rakhi Sawant and ishQ Bector to the Central Board of Film Certification which had directed Pen India to mute the word ‘kamine’ from the song ‘Bhoot’ from the album ‘Jhagde’, produced by the duo under the firm ishQ and Faith Inc.
The legal notice sent through advocate firm Siddique and Associates has given the CBFC a time of seven days to respond to the notice, which points out that the Board had earlier ‘unconditionally allowed’ a film bearing the same name, ‘Kaminey’.
Terming the directive as ‘unjustified and absolutely biased act’, the notice, dated 14 January, says that legal action will be taken if no reply is received within the stipulated time.
Bector has written, composed and sung the songs and the notice says the duo was absolutely shocked at this ‘willful, unreasonable and unjustified act’ for which no reason had been assigned.
It has also been pointed out that while the word was permitted in the promos, the Board objected to its use in the video.
Referring to the certificate to the film, it is pointed out that this amounts to ‘absolute biasness and double standards’. Furthermore, it is stated that ‘untenable and ridiculous objections’ would make the video look ‘disjointed and inappropriate’ and affect the popularity and sales of the album.
The ‘mukhda‘ of the song goes ‘Kamine tera bhoot chad gaya re.’ “But after the word being bleeped out, our song looks completely disjointed. This has killed its impact and sabotaged our album sales,” says ishQ, who has also written the lyrics.
The duo’s advocate Rizwan Siddiquee says, “No act of commission or omission on the part of the Censor Board, or any officer representing it, should be arbitrary, unjust or in manner be biased or sexist. The Board needs to fully understand that its acts could willfully prejudice the fundamental rights of an aggrieved party and therefore it should act accordingly.”
