CBFC snips a scene from a women-empowerment track

Chouksey in a still from the song

After staying away from the limelight following her act in Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara (2016), actor Divvya Chouksey made her singing debut earlier this month with a single that questions moral policing and foul language used against women. Having aptly released on Women's Day on web portal Zee Music, Patiyaale Di Queen has already courted controversy. The Central Board of Film Certification demanded that a classroom scene preceding the track be eliminated before the video's TV release.

The 48-second scene that has come under scrutiny sees Chouksey as a class student, who is chided by her female teacher for the length of her uniformed skirt when she complains of harassment by a male classmate. Ironically, the teacher is seen conducting a sex education class. Evidently perturbed by the Board's decision, Chouksey says, "The treatment meted out to the video has been unfair. While the entire track is available online, it has been censored for TV. While I wasn't there for the screening when it was sent to the Censor Board, I hear they were adamant [that we chop it]."

The CBFC certificate

Chouksey's rap takes on artistes like Yo Yo Honey Singh, Akon and Badshah, who've been accused of including lyrics that are derogatory towards women, and which only speak of women's "heels, eyes and dress". In one part of her song, she is seen stating, "choti hai meri dress, phir bhi tere soch se hai badi". Questioning what the Board found objectionable about the intention behind her track, she says, "May we remind people that Honey Singh shot to fame with songs that are full of expletives; ones that are celebrated," she says, adding that she's also disturbed with the way a select group of viewers has reacted to it.

"I was advised to wear revealing clothes [in the video in a bid to attract eyeballs], and use foul language. But, I refused to do so since that would defeat the point. My video has earned one million views [on YouTube], but the comments being made by fans of Honey Singh and Badshah are disturbing. I am not attacking them, I am questioning the mindset that normalises objectification of women." mid-day tried to get in touch with the CBFC, which remained unavailable for comment.

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