Ashoke Pandit reacts to 72 Hoorain being called as a propaganda film; says, 'You can say that you didn’t like the film but don’t label it as propaganda'

The trailer of 72 Hoorain was released today despite being denied a certificate by the CBFC. Speaking at the launch event, producer Ashoke Pandit said, "We had booked a theatre for the trailer launch, but suddenly we were told that the trailer won’t be granted a censor certificate until certain cuts were incorporated. It was a shock for all of us makers.With full humility, I want to ask CBFC Chief Prasoon Joshi certain questions."
He further added, "72 Hoorain won the National award as well as an award at IFFI. The film’s trailer has been cut from the film itself. So, either the National Award was wrong or this rejection of the censor certificate is wrong. I want to know on what basis our trailer was not given a censor certificate. I request Prasoon Joshi to find our who were the officials who didn’t give the certificate. I also request the I&B Minister Anurag Thakur to issue an inquiry into this matter. We are very hurt and shocked by this reaction."
Pandit revealed that a senior CBFC official messaged him at 12:30 in the night saying, 'We have not rejected your trailer. We have asked for some cuts. Remove those shots and we will give you the certificate.'
Detailing the changes advised by the CBFC, Pandit said, "There are two separate censor certificates for the film and the trailer. We have the certificate for the film. The shot with a foot in the trailer has been asked to be removed. The dichotomy is that the same shot is in the film which has been cleared with a certificate. There’s a word from Quran that has been asked to be removed. I would like to tell that this film is not against any person or religion. This film is dealing with terrorism. All we want to ask is why the shots that are okay in the film are not okay in the trailer."
Speaking about the film being labelled as a propaganda movie, Ashoke Pandit said, "How can you say that these films are propaganda? Do you think the lakhs of people who went to watch these films in theatres are fools? And only the ones sitting on juries are intelligent? You can say that you didn’t like the film but don’t label it as propaganda. We also have our freedom of expression. You can make a film that you want to. I was the first person to support Udta Punjab."
Ashoke Pandit also added that while they are not planning to move court on this matter, he insists an inquiry should be issued against those people who have rejected the certificate to the trailer.
72 Hoorain is slated to release in theatres on July 7.