UNCUT JULIE 2: "SANSKAARI" NIHALANI IS THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY

Pahlaj Nihalani is at it again. The former Central Board of Film Certification ( CBFC) chairman? Yes. “I would not have given Julie 2 any cuts had I been the CBFC chairman still,” he roared. Say that again, Mr Nihalani?

For the uninitiated, Nihalani was sacked last month, post which he has become the distributor of the “most sanskaari” film ever. The former CBFC chairman has left everyone in splits. After asking for the word “intercourse” to be removed from When Harry Met Sejal, the man is quietly grown.

Not only is the man advocating that Julie 2 be passed without any cuts, he is also one of the distributors of the film. That’s rich.

Nihalani: The Golden Goose With Golden Words

1. “My role has changed”

Sure. Responding to questions on what he would have done to Julie 2, had he been the CBFC chairman now, he said he no longer was in that position, making the question redundant.

2. “I have tried to clear every movie till the end”

He went on to say that he tried to clear all movies until the very last day of his position as CBFC head. Well, sure. But not without drama, some more drama and a lot of melodrama. And oh, of course, controversy. During his stint as CBFC chairman, he clearly became cinema’s favourite controversy child.

3. “Shah Rukh doesn’t sell without content”

Well, I’ll give it to him that he mentioned content. But what content are we talking about here exactly? Also, I have serious doubts on what the word in itself means for Mr. Nihalani. Oh, also, he said “neither body or skin will sell without content”. I just wish he had elaborated on what content he was looking for all this while a he was striking down words, scenes in a completely fictional movie.

Also, he said Julie 2 will be an eye-opener for all those who have worked and want to work in the industry. Now you know why he decided to back Julie 2.

4. “When Julie 2 releases, I’ll tell you whether I’m sanskaari or not”

Really? How does one even justify that? This statement either makes me scared or leaves me laughing, rolling on the floor. Either way, one wonders how movies define ‘sanskaar’.

5. “Not doing this for TRP”

One might wonder why he’s suddenly going all “adult” on India. Does it have anything to do with him getting sacked? Absolutely not, is what Nihalani said. He explained that he was just launching my picture and was not trying to reap in TRPs.

6. “Till the time films like Toilet-Ek Prem Katha are made, the filth in the industry will remain”

I wonder what PM Narendra Modi has to say to that? Also, Mr. Nihalani, you clearly didn’t hear the government’s rousing, thundering welcome to Toilet-Ek Prem Katha when it was released. Also, where is the filth coming from? Also, for a man who publicly supports the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party and considers Modi as a hero, why is he discrediting a movie which pushes for the PM’s ambitious Swacch Bharat agenda? Nihalani is clearly weird.

The aforementioned golden words were spoken by Pahlaj Nihalani in Mumbai two days ago as he unveiled the movie he was backing, Julie 2. For those who don’t know, Julie 2 is the sequel to the first part, Julie, which starred Neha Dhupia in the lead role. While not many about what Julie 2 will be about, the prequel to it had Dhupia playing the role of call girl who falls in love with a wealthy man.

Nihalani: The Hypocrite With The Big Mouth

As you can see from above, Nihalani has a lot of points, and many of them legit according to him.

One wonders why and how a man, who wanted cuts in a rom-com like Jab Harry Met Sejal and proposed a whooping 89 cuts in Udta Punjab, grew the guts to publicly announce his support for a movie like Julie 2, which he would have struck down otherwise.

Well, the point that I’m trying to drive home is not whether Julie 2 should be scrutinised (of course, not; I’m all for cinematic liberty and freedom). It is the shamelessness of Nihalani at being the hypocrite that he is. Taking into account the number of minuscule cuts and changes that filmmakers would have had to make under his tenure, many of them without creating a ruckus about it, it’s astonishing to see Nihalani back an ‘adult’ movie and also disown himself from his term as CBFC chairman.

Absurdity is clearly the order of the day. Now, I’m really hoping for Julie 2 to be released without any cuts or changes. Don’t you want to know how "sanskaari" Pahlaj Nihalani is? I surely do and I’m sure many others do too.