Has Raveena Tandon’s comeback film been banned?

The CBFC has refused to certify Raveena Tandon’s comeback film Maatr which was slated to release this Friday. The film is a rape and revenge narrative and reportedly contains disturbing scenes.

The CBFC decided to view the film last week but the entire board walked out when they realised that the screenplay that was earlier submitted by the makers did not match the content of the film. However, they decided to re-watch the film last Saturday and have mutually decided to reject the certification of the movie due to its content.

A source at the CBFC reasoned the decision saying, “Maatr has graphic and gruesome violence against women. The film is carpeted with maa-behen expletives. We can’t even recommend that the abuses be beeped as they run through the course of the film in an ongoing rush of profanity”.

The film is based on the heinous Nirbhaya rape case that enraged the entire nation.

The source further added on the same saying, “Rape sequences are always tricky. We never know when they stop becoming shocking and get into the voyeuristic/titillating zone. In Maatr, the women’s violation is subject to allegations of excessive elaboration. Though the film is well-intended and hard-hitting, we cannot take the risk of incurring the wrath of organisations devoted to prevention of violation against women”.

The film’s main lead, Raveena is quite upset with this decision and exclaimed this in an interview with a leading tabloid when she said, “The Censor Board is bound by archaic laws which need to change according to the current times. Maatr is a story that needs to be told. We’ve had enough of sugar-coating of harsh realities. If this continues we will remain indifferent to brutality, and rape will remain a taboo”