There have been raised eyebrows regarding the censorial obliteration of the suggestive term ‘Ghapa ghap’ from Samir Wadhwans’ Satyaprem Ki Katha, especially since this crude colloquial term for a quickie, was allowed in Raj Kumar Hirani’s Sanju in 2018 and more recently in Jogira Sa Ra Ra.
When I touched base with a source very close to the Central Board Of Film Certification I was given this explanation: “Satyaprem Ki Katha is a film about date rape, and the concept of ‘First Base’ ‘Second Base’ , ‘Third Base’ to explain the three stages to be crossed by any couple during consensual sex.This is a serious attempt to understand the difference between consensual sex and rape. To trivialize this with crude colloquial references to the sex act, seemed just not proper.”
The source also points out that there are no homogenous rules for all films.
“What is correct for one film may be entirely wrong for another. If you are making a lighthearted romcom a certain amount of suggestiveness in the language is perhaps permissible. But if you are making a film on a sensitive subject like rape, frivolity is unacceptable.”
