'Narendra Modi's NOC required for An Insignificant Man': CBFC tells makers of film on Kejriwal

Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla’s documentary An Insignificant Man, based on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s rise to political power, has run into an altercation with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

DNA reports that CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani has instructed the two young filmmakers, along with the producer Anand Gandhi, to furnish Non Objection Certificates (NOCs) from a few politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The same report quotes Nihalani as saying, “This is standard procedure. Prior to this, when a film on the Prime Minister entitled Modi Ka Gaon was brought to us, we asked for an NOC from the PM’s office.” His argument is that the makers have used actual footage of Modi addressing rallies and thus, an NOC from the prime minister is mandatory.

Other politicians, from whom the CBFC has asked to obtain NOCs from, are former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Kejriwal. It claims that the documentary might damage Kejriwal’s political reputation and that it does not show the Delhi chief minister in very authoritative light.

Mumbai Mirror reports Ranka and Shukla claim that Nihalani asked the security to escort them out of the office once they tried to reason it out with the CBFC chief. The report quotes Ranka as saying, “The footage we have used of politicians are of their public appearances, are already documented and broadcast by several TV channels and newspapers. If journalists do not require NoCs for revealing information that is already there in the public domain, why should different rules apply to filmmakers? It’s like asking a journalist covering the Coalgate scam to get a NoC from a political party.”

While the makers also alleged that the CBFC ordered six cuts in the documentary, the report by Mumbai Mirror states that Nihalani denied the news.