Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan, featuring Salman Khan in the lead, completed a decade this year. During a recent conversation, Kabir Khan recalled how the Censor Board asked him to remove the dialogue 'Jai Shri Ram' from the film, which he opposed.
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At The Indian Express' Expresso, Kabir Khan shared that the CBFC asked him to remove the dialogue, apprehending it might hurt the Muslims. The scene featured Om Puri who played a Pakistani maulana and said "Jai Shri Ram."
When Kabir Khan was asked if he could make Bajrangi Bhaijaan in today's political scenario, he said he probably could.
"If the film still gets love, then it means that somewhere it hit home. I feel it's the gatekeepers who sometimes draw these limits," the director said.
To substantiate his point, he recalled the scene which is set in Pakistan in Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Om Puri's character waves goodbye to Salman's character and he can sense that Bajrangi hesitates uttering 'Khuda Hafiz'. He then asks the other character, "Aap logo mein kya kehte hain? Jai Shri Ram na? (What do you guys say? Jai Shri Ram?)"
"And Om Puri's character, without batting an eyelid, says 'Jai Shri Ram' and the censor actually asked me to cut that. I asked why and they said that Muslims won't like it," he recalled.
Kabir then told them that he too was a Muslim and he did not mind it. "I said 'Sir, what's my name? I don't mind it at all," he shared.
Talking about his grwoing up years in Delhi, Kabir Khan also said 'Jai Shri Ram' was said to greet each other in those days, without its political implications.
"I have grown up in a Delhi where 'Jai Shri Ram' was not a political salutation. It was used by everybody and I have been in Old Delhi where 'Jai Shri Ram' was like saying 'hello' and 'goodbye', so I asked why would they feel bad about this? I fought for it. I stuck to it," he said.
About Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan dealt with a character, played by Salman Khan, who learns the greater meaning of religion, transcending the barriers of institutionalised religion. The film stars Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Harshaali Malhotra in key roles. The film, released in 2015, was a blockbuster at the box office as well.