Pahlaj Nihalani, chief of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), has expressed outrage at the cuts made by the Coffee With D team. The cuts were made after the filmmakers allegedly received threats from underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s men. The film is a parody based on Dawood Ibrahim’s life. The filmmakers have reportedly been receiving threats from Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chota Shakeel, who warned the team and instructed them to make certain cuts. The makers subsequently complied.
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This has understandably enraged Pahlaj Nihalani, who told the Deccan Chronicle that this marks a new low in the authority vested by the Indian constitution in the CBFC. “We had no objection to the references to Dawood and did not cut them at all. We made other changes and granted the film an ‘A’ certificate. But now we are told the makers of Coffee With D are making the changes that have been ordered from outside. So are we looking at an extra-constitutional censor board operating in India?,” Pahlaj asked.
Meanwhile, the film’s team has refused to comment on the reports thus far.