U/A For Jungle Book? Grow Up Pahlaj Nihalani

After deciding how many kissing scenes are OK for Indian audiences in the latest James Bond film, Censor Board Chief Pahlaj Nihalani has now declared that Rudyard Kipling's famous story The Jungle Book is 'too scary' and needs a U/A certificate and kids have to watch this classic under adult supervision.

The decision has once again raised the age old controversy about the need for a Censor Board in the country, which is the largest producer of films in the world.

Reacting to this suggestion well-known Bollywood producer Mukesh Bhatt has said,"If you ask me CBFC should be put in garbage can, that is the right place for the CBFC."

Strong words maybe but he does represent the seething anger of the country at the appointments of top officials in important positions by this government.

The Jungle Book, based on Rudyard Kipling’s stories based in India, is an American fantasy-adventure film directed by Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau, written by Justin Marks, and produced by Walt Disney.

I was forced to watch the film at a theatre in Noida this weekend as my 11 year old grand daughter was adamant. I was also curious to see this film and the reaction of children after the unusual certification by the Censor Board.

Believe me it was a picnic out there with parents bringing in their toddlers to enjoy the movie and throughout there was not a whine,or a shriek or a scary scene that would force the children to clutch tightly to their moms.So much for Pahlaj Nihalani!

Yes there is not much laughter or fun element in the film but children who have seen the ' Chaddi pahan kar Phool Khila hai" on TV have grown up, and the new kids seemed to be enjoying the Mowgli in both the present version and the younger one shown in flash back.

Of course Pahlaj is right.The parents must accompany their children to the cinema otherwise who will get them their pop-corns, burgers and coke for their outing.

I think I go with Ayushmann Khurrana who said," I don’t know what’s the criteria behind the certification. May be, it is because of the 3D images of Bagheera and Shere Khan bouncing-off the screen. These days kids are used to reading story books and watching Captain America, and after all these are animated films,” he said.

When we saw Chota Chetan ,the first 3D film in India we also flinched in our seats when burning arrows came flying towards us.But that was ages back. Now every second children's film is a 3D film and kids are enjoying it.

Pahlaj Nihalani, sitting in the exalted position of Censor Board chief really needs to grow up or rather grow out of the skin he is wearing.

When I was a child I remember I was so scared to see the film' Ek hi Raasta' if my memory serves me right, because in one scene a train passes over the body of a child put on the railway tracks.I remember I did not dare to open my eyes even after the train had passed.Of course it was a great relief that the child survived miraculously.

But times have changed.The director of The Jungle Book Jon Favreau represents this change when he says, “Death is a real thing in Disney movies, but to have everything dark doesn’t mean that you cannot have humour and emotions.”

“I am a dad of three kids and I want to make sure that it is something that my kids would be comfortable in seeing,”he elaborated.

That is the lesson we have to learn in this age of globalisation if we are not going to become the butt of jokes and ridicule!