Women directors speak up against ban on 'Lipstick Under My Burkha'

 The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)'s move to ban the award-winning Hindi movie 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' has drawn sharp criticism from women directors and artistes from the city, who have termed the move gender-biased and insensitive.

Vijayalakshmi Singh, actor, director and a former member of CBFC told DH that the board should have certified the movie, instead of imposing a ban.

“A lot of dedication and passion go into filmmaking. It will be disheartening for any film maker to see his movie being junked like this. However, the board is also helpless as the members will just have to follow the guidelines.”

Bindu Chandana, innovation consultant and podcaster at Kottravai Chronicles, a feminist podcast on SoundCloud, said the premise that a woman exploring her sexuality is an audio porn or an adult content is another way of reiterating the appalling state of patriarchy in the country.

Many Kannada movies were in censor soup, the latest being ‘Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu’, an adaptation of a short story by writer Poornachandra Tejaswi and directed by Sumana Kittur.

Film personalities protested against the board for giving unreasonable mutes in the film.

Kavitha Lankesh's ‘Kariya Kanbitta’ had also run into trouble, before being finally released last year.

“The story revolved around a Dalit boy and the issue of suicide among children. Suicides are real. The board asked us to cut a few words and scenes. However, we managed to get a U certificate for the movie,” Lankesh said.


The censor board's certification is moralising, while the world is embracing liberal views. There needs to be a better coordination between the board and the theatres.
Kavitha Lankesh, director, screenplay writer

It is unfortunate that the people who certify movies know less about them and what goes into its making. The board’s increased interference makes us suffocated. They want us to make a socially relevant movie, but often chop the realistic part.
Sumana Kittur, director


Kannadafilms in censorsoup

Lifeu Ishtene directed by Pawan Kumar
Shivam by Srinivasa Raju
Kariya Kanbitta by Kavitha Lankesh
Kiragoorina Gayyaligalu by Suman Kittur