Audience Fooled

It is rather strange that producer Ekta Kapoor and director Dibakar Banerjee made a bold film with explicit sex scenes and four-letter words, titled it – quite appropriately – Love Sex Aur Dhokha and then just accepted the CBFC orders to delete the sex scenes and swear words in the film. The least the duo could have done was to have appealed against the CBFC deletions and gone up to the court or, at least, the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal. For, if the two were not sure of what their film was to offer, they shouldn’t have kept a suggestive title like Love Sex Aur Dhokha. But once they finalised such a title, they should’ve at least given the CBFC a tough fight. With the cuts ordered by the CBFC and carried out by the duo, what remains in the film is very little love and even lesser sex. As a result, the title becomes misleading and is sure to invite the wrath of the audience who would go into the cinemas expecting hot and steamy scenes. Maybe, Ekta Kapoor had already finalised her release date and, therefore, had no time to fight the CBFC as the film got censored only a few days prior to the release. If so, nothing could be more unplanned. After all, you can’t have a film with a bold title and bolder content and expect to have a cakewalk at the CBFC unless you are very lucky. Releasing the film in its present form – devoid of sex and four-letter words – is tantamount to fooling the audience. And, as is well-known, hell hath no fury like an audience scorned or fooled.