Anurag Kashyap lashes out at CBFC, Brahmin community over Phule delay: ‘Decide kar lo, India mein casteism hai ya nahi’ | Bollywood News

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has lashed out at the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for postponing the release of Ananth Mahadevan’s biographical drama, Phule. The film’s release has been delayed after it received backlash from the Brahmin community in Maharashtra, who alleged misrepresentation in the film. Apart from questioning the hypocrisy of the Brahmin community, he also asked how the unreleased film became accessible to groups. The film features Pratik Gandhi as Jyotirao Phule and Patralekhaa as Savitribai Phule, showcasing the revolutionary contributions of the two social reformers.
Anurag wrote in Instagram stories,, “Meri zindagi ka pehla natak Jyotiba aur Savitribai Phule pe tha. Bhai agar casteism nahin hota is desh mein toh unko kya zaroorat thi ladne ki. Ab ye Brahmin log ko sharam aa rahi hai ya wo sharam mein mare ja rahe hain ya phir ek alag Brahmin Bharat mein jee rahe hain jo hum dekh nahin paa rahe hain, ch****a kaun hai koi to samjhave. (The first play I ever did in my life was on Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule. If casteism didn’t ex in this country, why would they have needed to fight against it? Now these Brahmin groups either feel ashamed, are dying of shame, or perhaps they’re living in some alternate Brahmin-only India that we’re unable to see. Someone please explain—who’s the real fool here?)”
Anurag raised questions about the CBFC and how the film, submitted to them, reached the groups. He said, “My question is, when the film goes for censoring, there are four members in the board. How the f*** the groups and the wings get access to films until and unless they are given access to it? The whole f******g system is rigged”.
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The filmmaker pointed out how other films like Punjab 95, Tees, Dhadak 2 – which also show the uncomfortable truths of society – face the same censorship wrath and remain unreleased. He wrote, “I don’t know how many other films are blocked that exposes the agenda of this caste, regional, rac government… so ashamed to see their own face in the mirror. So ashamed that they can’t even openly talk about what it is about the film that bothers them. F*****g cowards.”
The Gulaal director also shared an Instagram post and raised the question of Santosh’s release being halted in India and Dhadak 2 also facing similar issues despite Prime Miner Narendra Modi declaring that the caste system is abolished in India.. “Bhai mil ke decide kar lo. India mein casteism hai ya nahi… (Please meet and decide if casteism ex in India or not) Dhadak 2 ki screening mein censor board ne bola, Modi ji ne india mein caste system khatam kar diya hai . Usi aadhar pe Santosh bhi india mein release nahin hui . Ab Brahmin ko problem hai Phule se . Bhaiya, jab caste system hi nahin hai to kahe ka Brahmin . Kaun ho aap. Aap ki kyon sulag rahi hai (During the screening of Dhadak 2, censor board told us that Modiji has eradicated the caste system in India. On the same grounds, Santosh couldn’t be released in India either. Now, Brahmins are objecting to Phule. Brother, if there’s no caste system, how can you be a Brahmin? Who are you? Why are you getting worked up?).”
He added, “Jab caste system tha nahin toh jyotiba phule aur Savitri bai kyon the . Ya toh aap ka bahmnism ex hi nahin karta kyon ki Modi jinke hisaab se india mein caste system nahin hai? Ya sab log milke sab ko c*****a bana rahe ho. Bhai mil ke decide kar lo . India mein casteism hai ya nahi. Log chutiya nahin hain. . Aap Brahmin log ho ya phir aap ke baap hain jo upar baithe hain . Decide kar lo (If there’s no caste system, why did Jyotiba Phule and Savitri Bai ex? Either your Brahminism doesn’t ex according to Modiji’s claim that there’s no caste system in India, or everyone is being fooled. Decide once and for all, does casteism ex in India or not? People aren’t fools. Are you Brahmins or the ones calling the shots are one? Decide now).”

Cuts demanded CBFC in Phule
On April 7, the CBFC asked the makers of Phule to introduce several cuts to the film. These included removing terms such as ‘Mang’, ‘Mahar’ and ‘Peshwai’, as well as modifying the line ‘3,000 saal purani ghulami’ to ‘kai saal purani ghulami’. The film’s director had shared that they have complied with all the requirements. The film was given a ‘U’ certificate.Story continues below this ad
Brahmin community’s objection to Phule
After the battle with the CBFC, when the film was set to release on April 11, the Brahmin community raised objections against the film. The film will now hit theatres on April 25. Phule is based on the life of social activ Jyotirap Govindrao Phule (played Pratik Gandhi) and his wife Savitribai Phule (essayed Patralekhaa), who fought against caste discrimination and for women’s right to education, including the establishment of India’s first girls’ school in 1848.
In an interview, Mahadevan told The Deccan Chronicle about a section of Brahmin communities raising their objection, “I think it was just a knee-jerk reaction after seeing the trailer. They probably thought that we had maligned Brahmins, we had sort of humiliated them in the film, but no, the bonding between the Brahmins and the symbiosis between them is so strong in the film because right from the beginning when Jyotiba very clandestinely starts his first school, it is the Brahmins who support him giving them their premises. So, you cannot sort of alienate the Brahmins from his life, but in every community, there is always some group or some kind of ideology that creates differences unnecessarily and revolts against reform and progress of the lower classes, what they feel as the lower classes they do not want them to come up to their level. So, when Jyotiba tries to educate the discriminated classes and the suppressed people, there are a few groups of people who sort of, try to put a spoke in the wheel.”