“Smriti Irani Sacked Me.” Pahlaj Nihalani Rats Out Ministry In This Explosive Interview!

During his tenure as the CBFC Chief, Pahlaj Nihalani managed to do a lot more than just certify films. And that includes becoming controversy’s favourite child. Just to jog your memory, he was/is infamous for his sanskari approach to films (cue: a lot of cuts), bizarre reasons to ban films (read: ‘lady-oriented’) and picking up fights with film-makers. In fact, after being dethroned as the CBFC chief, he is still making headlines and how.

Remember the last time when we told you that he is proud of being labelled as the sanskari censor chief? Yes, the same where he hinted that there were internal conflicts that worked for his ouster. Well, as it turns out it was Smriti Irani who got him sacked. Or so he says! 

In an explosive and tell-all interview to Lehren TV, Pahlaj Nihalani has decided to go all out. The ex-CBFC chief claimed that he was sacked for not following the orders of newly-elected Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Smriti Irani. He said,

“At the I&B Ministry, I was their target number one. It all started when I didn’t clear Madhur Bhandarkar’s Indu Sarkar. She (Smriti Irani) gave me a call asking why I hadn’t done so. I said, I was following guidelines and now the film is already with the Tribunal.”

He even accused Smriti of asserting her power and dominance wherever she goes.

“I told her if she wants she can get it cleared from the Tribunal. I wasn’t massaging her ego and it was only a matter of time before I was thrown out.”

Not just that he even claimed that he got to know about his removal from the media and not the administration.

Nihalani, however, asserted that Ekta Kapoor had nothing to do with his removal, refuting all reports that it was Ekta and Smriti’s friendship that cost him his job. 

Divulging further, he also went on record to say that he was categorically instructed by the Ministry to not pass Abhishek Chaubey’s controversial ‘Udta Punjab’. Even Kabir Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ received a similar treatment, according to him.

The man of the hour then went to slam Anurag Kashyap for his wits and told the tale of how he manipulated the office during the release of ‘Gangs of Wasseypur.’

Watch the entire video here. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1c8MLHZp3c&feature=youtu.be

Found yourself a little tongue-tied? You are not the only one my friend. Well, we wonder what Smriti Irani has to say about this!

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