None of the five members, who watched the film ‘Paarane’ to certify, knew Kodava language

Mysuru: Kodava film ‘Paarane’ that has been screened in several National and International Film Festivals cannot be screened in the upcoming Bengaluru International Film Festival. Reason: Regional Office of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has rejected certification for the movie because the members who watched it did not like the colour grading and the long-duration shots in it.

Shockingly, none of the people at CBFC who watched the movie knew Kodava language, which is crucial to make a decision of issuing certification! Now, forget Bengaluru International Film Fest, the movie-makers cannot even apply for National Film Awards without a CBFC certificate.

‘Paarane’, directed by Shreelesh S. Nair, tells the story of struggle by people from a village named Paarane for their existence and entity. Encroachers attack and try to destroy their native natural resources in the name of business. Realising this, the protagonists revolt against the invaders. The high-point of the film is that it is made on a shoestring budget of merely Rs. 3 lakh, as claimed by the Director. None of the actors were professionally into films and it introduces many new actors. Its duration is 1 hour and 32 minutes.

Nair, who is from Kerala and currently a resident of Bengaluru, said that the movie cast people from Paarane village and filmed around Kodagu district with sync sound. ‘Paarane’ has won the Certificate of Achievement at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival. The film also participated in the Kolkata International Film Festival and has been selected for the Golden Grand Film Festival, Redwood Film Festival and Eurasian Film Festival.

“A Kodava language film making it to film festivals, which is first time in India, has definitely excited the team. It has been nominated at Indonesia Film Festival and a small festival to be held in Berlin,” Nair said.

Tasting success at International level, Nair approached CBFC’s Regional Office in Bengaluru for certification. “None of the five members, including the Regional Officer, who watched ‘Paarane’ knew Kodava language. The film has only 11 shots in it and the CBFC objected to it. I was asked why there were no close-up shots of actors,” Nair said.

“Shockingly, a CBFC official who objected to the colour grading, said why was Coorg not looking beautiful and I told him that was the way I have made the film. The official insisted that he has rules to follow and cannot certify any film and I told him to please show me the rule book. Only if rules are made public filmmakers can know what kind of films CBFC object to,” Nair said.

Nair, who took objection to the way he was treated at Regional Office of CBFC, was told to go to court or appeal to CBFC head office in Mumbai. And for that he needs Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000. “I made the movie in a small budget of Rs. 3 lakh and I don’t have the resources for the appeal and to go to the court,” he said.

Advocates who are in the know of CBFC guidelines said that the CBFC can reject a scene when it is vulgar, if it provokes communal tensions or threatens to damage the sovereignty or integrity of India or extremely and unnecessarily violent.

The CBFC does not have powers to reject certification on a movie’s total length or dull colour as it amounts to denying freedom of expression of the film-maker, lawyers said.

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