CFBC

The film doesn't make a case for what the women do with their talent, courage, position or intelligence.
Instead it shows women who wish to break out but would lose everything at the end: freedom for
Rihanna, social status for Bauji, love for Leela, and hope for a better life for Shireen. They somewhere
got lost along the way. In that sense, yes, it's a film reflecting our real selves that are fallible, imperfect
and yet should have the freedom to choose and dream.

The religious stereotypes are also very strong with an endless demonisation of men and victimisation of
women. At the end of the day, for many these very issues will reinforce many stereotypes out there –
Muslim men who only want sex from wives, the bearded glaring dominant Muslim fathers, or 'Musalle'
who fool Hindu girls into love jihad. It also leaves the viewer with four women stuck with making wrong
choices that were easy to make through lying, cheating or hiding in an oppressive society. The right
choices are sometimes harder but they take you up, lift your spirits and leave your audience with
immense possibilities.

There are sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one
particular section of society. This is the only reason it was banned in India.

The makers of Lipstick Under My Burkha on Monday released a new poster that can be
interpreted as their answer to the Central Board Of Film Certification, also known as the censor
board. It features a hand showing the middle finger.

The film made headlines across the country after the censor board, headed by Pahlaj Nihalani,
refused to certify it on account of “sexual content, abusive words and audio pornography”.

Prodction house

It won't be wrong to say that Lipstick Under My Burkha, is a safe film about a volatile subject. Three
decades back, filmmaker Aruna Raje made a film about a village where all the menfolk go to cities to
work, leaving behind their families. The film focused on the way these women negotiated their desire
and took on other lovers. Strangely, in 1988, the censor board didn't think that Rihaee was too 'lady-
oriented'. In comparison, Lipstick... is decidedly tame. Which is why I would go on to state that the real
tragedy of Lipstick Under My Burkha is that a film like this can still elicit such response in our country.

Here, director Alankrita Srivastava gives these women breathing space. She also gives them the agency
to fantasise. Because of this, the film has a decidedly feminine gaze. Something our very erudite film
certification board read as "lady-oriented". Alankrita also chooses to give them the vocabulary to
express their needs.This results in some of the most chuckle-inducing moments of the film. Aahana
Kumra, has no qualms about demanding sex from her boyfriend even after a fight. "Sex toh karle yaar!"
We cut class to be here,” said Sargon, a psychology student, in the lobby with three others. “We
heard so much about the movie, the controversies attached to it, we thought we had to see it,” her
friend Nitleen said.

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“There’s so much dialogue around this whole idea of feminism, and this is a problem in India
because of the different religious identities,” Sargon added. “This movie puts the issue in your
face – you can’t hide from it.”

A young man, Nibras, was attending with his friend Kainaat. He offered his view first:
“Basically the main controversy is that it has sex scenes.”

“It’s the patriarchy,” interrupted Kainaat, a history student. “We live under patriarchal rule, so
when women-oriented films come out, there’s always controversy. “When women start talking
about their desires, their likes, their freedoms, it’s unexpected,” she said. “Women can’t have
desires of their own.”

They banned it because the CBFC felt that this was encouraging women to become more independent,”
he said. “Well, so? To me it doesn’t make any sense. It’s about freedom of speech,” he said. “If a
director wants to make a film and show it, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you want to go see it, see
it. Otherwise, don’t…..A man said

“It’s high time men are aware what women feel,” his partner, Manjoo, said. “The censors might not hear
about it, but women are also discussing these topics amongst themselves,” another filmgoer, Priti, said.
“It’s just that men are usually disconnected from it.” She was going to bring her husband to see it, she
added.
On the other hand, because the censor refused classification, a very important dialogue was started in
mainstream and social media ... about the female and male gaze and gender politics in the popular
paradigm of cinema in India.”

Why to watch-

1. The main subject of the film: This film is bold enough to talk about sex, women's desires and
needs, their dreams and their wishes that are mostly left unfulfilled.

2. 2. The social issues it raised: From marital rape to peer pressure and patriarchy, this film
shows it all, exactly as it is .

3. 3. It brings out the perspective of every age group: Not just focusing on the typical
twentysomething Bollywood female protagonist, this movie shows us things from every
perspective, a married woman, a college student, a young girl about to get married and 55
year old woman, each character is as important as the rest.

8. It talks about female solidarity