Censor Board gives green signal to Amartya Sen documentary

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has agreed to release the impending documentary on Nobel laureate Amartya Sen titled "The Argumentative Indian". 

The documentary was in the middle of a controversy last year in July when Suman Ghosh, National Award-winning director refused to abide by CBFC Kolkata diktat of beeping four words in the film -- cow, Gujarat, Hindutva and Hindu. 

Ghosh announced Friday that the CBFC agreed to the release of his documentary in its entirety, including the four words that the board's regional office had objected to earlier. 

Ghosh told PTI in Kolkata: "CBFC chairman Prasoon Joshi watched 'The Argumentative Indian' in Mumbai yesterday along with other board members and gave his consent to the words. After seeing the film yesterday, Joshi held a discussion with me and said 'the film can be released without any cuts."

The documentary is essentially an hour long and is shot in two parts in 2002 and 2017 -- has Sen talking about the social choice theory, development economics, philosophy and the rise of right-wing nationalism across the world, including India.

Ghosh added in his statement, "I am happy that the CBFC respects the freedom of expression in arts. Joshi told me he got to learn a lot about the Nobel laureate through my documentary."

He is now hoping to get a written communication on the matter from the board. 

Sources in CBFC Kolkata, however, spoke on the issue and said that the matter is currently being handled by the chairman and that the regional office had no say in the matter now.

Watch the trailer of the film that was released earlier last year: