Titli team and TVF release a fun video on self Censorship in India
Noted filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt, Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta, Kamal Swaroop, Ajay Bahl, producer Guneet Monga, Vasan Bala came together with the Titli team (producer Dibakar Banerjee and director Kanu Behl) and TVF to make an episode on self Censorship in India
~The fun video, ‘Censor Qtiyapa’ which released online on October 26th has received more than 2 lakhs views in less than 24 hours~
Kanu Behl, the debutant director of Titli which releases this Friday, October 30, along with the producer Dibakar Banerjee teamed up with TVF to make an episode on self Censorship in India. The fun video “Censor Qtiyapa” which released online on October 26th has gone viral and got more than 2 lakhs views in less than 24 hours.
The video featuring eminent filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt, Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta, Kamal Swaroop, Ajay Bahl, producer Guneet Monga, Vasan Bala along with the Titli director and producer is directed by Shlok Sharma (director of Haramkhor). Excited about the tremendous response, the director Kanu Behl says, “The response to the video has been overwhelming. Close to 2 lakh hits in less than 24 hours as we write this. It’s interesting to know that the audience across the board can bite in to the humour and get all the nuances of a film maker’s labour pains!”
Says Kanu Behl, “We had a very confusing experience with the censor process over the past few months which left us baffled as to what is acceptable and what is not. While Dibakar and I sat ruminating over what had transpired, we started joking around it and suddenly this idea for a gag came about. We thought it was a fun way to talk about our little story.”
Talking about objective of the video, Kanu says, “It was supposed to be a fun idea that we wanted to play with. There have been so many stories we’ve heard from so many directors over the years, and we wanted to start a nice little quirky conversation around this. Doing a take on everyone, including us.”
So what response are they expecting from the Censor Board? “A good laugh, and a look inwards!” quips Kanu. “The video was shot in a day”, says Kanu, “It was a lot of fun to get everyone together on the same day, all talking about the same thing brought everyone’s positivity and energy together. The shoot happened on one side and our adda session with Bhatt saab happened outside, where he regaled us with all his stories about his experiences over the years. It was exciting and memorable” he reveals.
How did the filmmakers come on board? “Everyone was more than willing. It was supposed to be a satire on an age-old system of viewing and judging content.” Says the debutant director. Kanu who also features in the video along with Dibakar confesses, “I don’t rate myself as an actor because I’m really not. I was just in awe of everybody and how they were all so comfortable in their skins.”
‘Titli’ is directed by Kanu Behl, co-produced by Yash Raj Films and Dibakar Banerjee Productions and was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Shashank Arora (Titli) and Shivani Raghuvanshi (Neelu), Ranvir Shorey (Vikram), Amit Sial (Baawla), and Lalit Behl (Daddy) in lead roles. The film is slated to release in India on October 30, 2015.
