Give ratings, not cuts to films, says Kalki Koechlin

Amid the raging controversy over her former husband Anurag Kashyap's co-production "Udta Punjab", National Award-winning actress Kalki Koechlin has said the censor board must only rate a movie, and not cut it.

"Udta Punjab", a co-production by Kashyap's Phantom Films and Balaji Motion Pictures, has been suggested 89 cuts by the Central Board of Film Certification. Kashyap is now locking horns with the film censorship body and has accused its chief Pahlaj Nihalani of being an "oligarch".

"I really think that the certification board should decide what rating to give to a movie without any cuts. If it's a movie like 'Udta Punjab', then give an A certificate and that's it," Kalki, who was here to launch new PizzaExpress restaurant at Nehru Place in south Delhi, told IANS.

Leading Bollywood filmmakers including Mahesh Bhatt, Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar have spoken out strongly against the censorship troubles that "Udta Punjab" is facing over its dealing with the subject of drug problem in Punjab.

The film, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, stars actors like Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh.