Former
Central
Board
of
Film
Certification
(CBFC)
chairperson
and
producer
Pahlaj
Nihalani
is
shocked
by
a
parliamentary
committee’s
decision
to
question
director
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali
on
Padmavati
before
the
censor
board
can
view
the
film.
He
claimed
the
Ministry
of
Information
and
Broadcasting
had
also
“bullied”
him
during
his
tenure.
“By
all
means,
the
parliamentary
committee
has
every
right
to
question
Bhansali
or
any
other
filmmaker.
But
only
after
the
CBFC
views
and
certifies
the
film.
“By
questioning
him
before
the
censor
certificate,
you
are
challenging
the
authority
of
the
CBFC
as
the
final
arbitrary
body
to
decide
the
fate
of
a
film,”
said
Nihalani.
Nihalani
feels
the
CBFC
seems
to
have
lost
its
authority.
“During
my
tenure,
I
was
bullied
by
the
I&B
ministry
into
taking
decisions.
“Now
it’s
a
free-for
all.
Any
and
every
governing
body
can
question
a
film.
Where
does
that
leave
the
CBFC?”
As
for
Padmavati,
Nihalani
wonders
where
the
film’s
persecution
stops.
“To
how
many
committees
is
Bhansali
answerable?
And
where
does
this
end?
“Why
is
one
of
India’s
best
filmmakers
being
made
to
explain
himself
over
and
over
again?
And
why
is
the
CBFC
not
taking
steps
to
clear
the
air
once
and
for
all,”
questioned
Nihalani,
whose
own
tenure
as
the
CBFC
chief
was
dogged
by
controversies.