'Mausam' release delayed across the UAE

It clearly isn’t the season to be jolly for the makers of “Mausam”, who have hit yet another roadblock, causing the Bollywood drama to release in the Middle East market a week behind schedule.
 
This means, all of you who were eagerly awaiting this week’s Indian release at the local cinemas across the UAE will be disappointed as the Shahid Kapoor-Sonam Kapoor starrer, “Mausam” (Season), will now only find its way to the big screen here next Thursday.
 
Phars Films, distributors of Indian films in this region, confirmed the news, with Managing Director Mahi Golchin-Deepala telling Emirates 24|7: ““Mausam” has been embroiled in its share of controversies, with the latest involving the Indian Air Force, which held back the no-objection certificate for the film, despite the country’s censor board’s decision to give it a clearance and a go-ahead.
 
“The Air Force had earlier demanded a few changes in a fight sequence but the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) decided to ignore their demands.”
 
According to reports, the IAF has demanded alterations in a sequence involving six fighter planes, one among which is “flown” by Shahid Kapoor, who plays a fighter pilot in the film.
 
Golchin-Deepala continued: “Mausam” was finally issued a censor certificate on September 13, and will reportedly hit theatres in India on September 16.”
 
She added: “Unfortunately, due to this delay, we will clearly not be receiving the prints in time to subtitle, censor and release by September 15. Hence, the film will be released next week, on September 22, in cinemas across the Gulf.”
 
Directed by Shahid Kapoor’s National Award-winning father, Pankaj Kapoor, “Mausam” has seen its star cast taking to social media in recent days, encouraging fans that the movie will release across India as planned.
 
In fact it as the young Kapoor lad who broke the news about the censor certificate on September 12, tweeting: ““Mausam” finally got its censor certificate...watching it now with family.”
 
Alas, for the filmmakers, the lifeline came a little too late, which also resulted in “Mausam” being pulled out of the Toronto Film Festival, a day before its world premiere.
 
In a statement to AFP, the organisers said the studio informed them that the film had not received regulatory approvals in India in time to screen the film this week in Toronto.
 
“We ran into a delay getting approvals from the Indian Air Force and the Board of Film Certification in India,” producer Sheetal Talwar said.
 
The studio Eros International Media Limited had granted the Indian Air Force final approval on the film prior to clearing the Indian censor board in exchange for using its image.
 
In the film, which spans decades, Shahid Kapoor is seen playing an Indian Air Force pilot from Punjab whose love for a woman from Kashmir (Sonam Kapoor) is thwarted by their cultural differences – he is Hindu, while she is Muslim.
 
Golchin-Deepala stated that the latest controversy was simply an addition to the several others that has plagued “Mausam” during its final innings.
 
She explained: “Director Pankaj Kapoor’s friend Nawman Malik filed a complaint with the Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers that he registered the title “Mausam” under his name. He also claimed that the story of the film is his, demanding a compensation of Rs10 million.”
 
However, the issue over the title saw respite for the filmmakers, as according to the bylaws of the Association of Motion Pictures and Television Programme Producers, if a title remains unused by a producer for three years and if another producer applies for the same title, the committee seeks an explanation from the titleholder.
 
If the committee is not satisfied with the explanation, it is empowered to allot the title in favour of the new applicant, she explained.
 
However, there was more drama waiting in the wings.
 
“The film then had problems with its five promotional trailers, which were not given a clearance certificate from the Censor Board as one of the trailers featured a cow and the Censors held it back on humanitarian grounds,” she revealed, adding: “The producers needed a no-objection certificate from the Animal Welfare Board.”
 
Trade pundits are already predicted the film’s international box office receipts will be greatly reduced with “Mausam” struggling to find space amongst cinema screens, with other big blockbusters also scheduled to release the same day.

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