'Aarakshan' gets U/A certificate, reveals Big B

"AARAKSHAN GETS A CLEAN CHIT FROM THE CENSOR BOARD: SILENCES THE CRITICS. 'Aarakshan' seen by Censors today and gets a UA Certificate without a single cut...that is something !!," Bachchan said on micro-blogging site twitter.

"This speaks volumes about the responsibility and sensitivity with which the film has been written and directed. This certification should silence all critics who thought the film will upset sentiments of people from backward castes," he said.

Directed by Prakash Jha, 'Aarakshan', a socio-political drama, is based on caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. "There has been an immense amount of speculation regarding censorship of the film. This has stemmed mainly from parties that were concerned that the film would offend people of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes. Even anti-reservation groups were worried, the film may be too pro-reservation," Bachchan said.

Earlier, Jha has made hard-hitting films like 'Mrityudand', 'Gangajal', 'Apaharan and 'Raajneeti'. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has demanded the screening of the film before them prior to its release on August 12.

"National Commission for Scheduled Castes sent notice to Censor Board that the film should not be cleared by Censor Board without the approval of the Commission. However, Censor Board did not comply with this notice. Instead, it formulated an expert panel of its own to review the film," Bachchan said.

The movie features Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Prateik Babbar and Manoj Bajpayee in pivotal roles.

"The examining committee had a total of nine members and two officials. Retired Justice Mr Mukul Mudgal, Chairperson of Censor Board Ms Leela Samson, Mr Pankaj Sharma, Dalit activist, Ms Rajni Tilak were expert committee members who came from Delhi. Examining committee comprised of members drawn from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled tribes and Other Backward castes," Big B said.

"Drawing on people who specialize in issues related to backward castes, and taking people from community itself to examine the film, is a very unusual and unprecedented move on the part of the Censor Board," he added.

Earlier, 'Aarakshan' had to face the wrath of civic administration in Bhopal, when they bulldozed the sets of the film because it was erected on a disputed land.

Then, a pro-Dalit group in Kanpur protested against the casting of 'royal' Saif Ali Khan as a Dalit in the film. Dalit Suraksha Samiti had sent a letter to Jha, saying that getting someone like Saif Ali Khan, a blue blood, to play a Dalit, is an insult to their community.