Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati which has been in the eye of the storm in the country owing to its historical content has got a clearance from the British censor board despite being deferred in India. The film hasn’t been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India yet. Interestingly, the film which was slated to release on December 1 here, will now be screened on the same day in the UK.
However, former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, who always found himself in the middle of controversies, has claimed that it is illegal to export a film before getting clearance in India. Nihalani, during an interview with Time Now said, “First of all he (probably referring to Sanjay Leela Bhansali) cannot export the film and get the certificate before certification in India. Because after the clearance only one can export the film. He has done it. It is illegal. As CBFC Chairman, I have in the past taken action against 2-3 producers. The government will come to know and I think he will face the tune of the legal action.”
Following massive protests, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio behind Padmavati, on November 19, announced in a statement that they were voluntarily deferring the release of the film out of "respect and regard for the law of the land" including the Central Board of Film Certification".They said a new release date will be announced once the "requisite clearances" are in place.