The CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification aka the censor board) has asked the makers of the soon-to-release Begum Jaan to replace the line “Allah kehke Bismillah. Naam Nabi ka Holi” with “Tan se khele ang-rang daala Brij ki har bala”. The rationale for the switchover is the possibility of religious sentiments being offended.
Moreover, a reference to a dargah has been changed to a saraai (inn).
“We can’t take any risks with religious sentiments,” says a CBFC source, adding, “Cross-religious references are all very well and a sign of a liberal India. But we can never be sure of how how the not-so-liberal India would react to this.”
