By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, Dec 28 (IANS) Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani has shrugged off all responsibility for the certification of "Mohalla Assi", after the Delhi High Court sought the censor body's response on a plea by the makers of the banned Bollywood film.
The plea challenged a denial of a certificate for public screening of the Chandraprakash Dwivedi movie, which features actor Sunny Deol. The movie is around the commercialisation of the pilgrimage city of Varanasi.
Talking about the issue, Nihalani said: "Both the Examining Committee and Revising Committee have denied the film a certification. The film has now gone to the Tribunal (Film Certification Appellate Tribunal). I am not aware of what is happening to the film there. But as far as the CBFC is concerned, the film you've mentioned has gone out of our hands."
The complete film "Mohalla Assi" was leaked online last year. The profane verbal content of the movie -- with dialogues delivered by Sunny and actress Sakshi Tanwar -- shocked many.
