Deepika Padukone in Mumbai. Mahira Khan in Verna. [Image courtesy (R): VernaTheMovie]
New Delhi:
Actress Deepika Padukone, who is in the middle of a controversy regarding the release of her upcoming film Padmavati, talked about the objection raised by the Pakistani Censor Board on Mahira Khan's film Verna. The Central Board of Film Censors reportedly objects to the film's plot, in which a governor's son rapes a woman. At an event to promote Padmavati, Deepika Padukone said: "Sad that a small section of people do not understand the power of cinema and what it can do to the world." On Friday, Mahira Khan echoed Deepika's thoughts in a tweet: "Tonight I realize how powerful artists are, not those in power. We are. Why else do we get banned? Why else do our films pose a threat to them? In this game of power - we will always win."
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A member of the Pakistan's CBFC told news agency PTI: "It (Verna shows a governor's son involved in a rape case - which was the biggest objection. Secondly, it includes many bold dialogues and scenes. The general plot of the movie revolves around rape, which we consider to be unacceptable."
As of now, the fate of Verna remains unclear as the Pakistani Censor Board hasn't cleared the film for release and the Provincial Censor Boards, which operate independently in Pakistan's Sindh, Punjab and other provinces, have not issued any certificate for the screening of the film either, reports PTI.
Verna is directed by Shoaib Mansoor, who made critically acclaimed films like Khuda Ke Liye and Bol. Mahira Khan featured in Shah Rukh Khan's Raees last year.
Deepika Padukone's upcoming film Padmavati, scheduled to release on December 1, is facing severe opposition from the members of the Rajput Karni Sena, who have alleged that the film distorts historical facts.
Watch:
Tonight I realize how powerful artists are, not those in power. We are. Why else do we get banned? Why else do our films pose a threat to them? In this game of power - we will always win. Art/love/truth always does! #PowerDiGame #verna
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) November 16, 2017
A member of the Pakistan's CBFC told news agency PTI: "It (Verna shows a governor's son involved in a rape case - which was the biggest objection. Secondly, it includes many bold dialogues and scenes. The general plot of the movie revolves around rape, which we consider to be unacceptable."
As of now, the fate of Verna remains unclear as the Pakistani Censor Board hasn't cleared the film for release and the Provincial Censor Boards, which operate independently in Pakistan's Sindh, Punjab and other provinces, have not issued any certificate for the screening of the film either, reports PTI.
Verna is directed by Shoaib Mansoor, who made critically acclaimed films like Khuda Ke Liye and Bol. Mahira Khan featured in Shah Rukh Khan's Raees last year.
Deepika Padukone's upcoming film Padmavati, scheduled to release on December 1, is facing severe opposition from the members of the Rajput Karni Sena, who have alleged that the film distorts historical facts.
