The Indian censor board has become the butt of jokes for the bizarre certifications it has awarded films lately. In yet another incident that has raised many eyebrows, the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) rated an upcoming children’s film The Jungle Book as ‘UA’.
Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book is one of the most loved children’s books. Hollywood director Jon Favreau’s film adaptation is slated to release on 8 April. The 12-year-old boy of Indian origin Neel Sethi was chosen from over 2000 kids to play the much-coveted role of Mowgli.
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The censor board’s chief Pankaj Nihlani cited the “startling” 3D effects of the film as the reason for the UA certificate. In a statement to the media Nihlani said, “Please don’t go by the reputation of the book. See the film and then decide on the suitability of the content for kids. The 3D effects are so scary that the animals seem to jump right at the audience.” Further justifying his move, he said, “It’s not just the story that determines certification. It’s the overall presentation, the packaging and the visual effects used to tell the story. It’s up to parents to decide how much of these effects are suited for their children.”
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Well, we can only hope that the UA certificate does not affect the collections of the film!
