The UIDAI's request comes in the wake of recently proposed amendments to the Cinematograph Act which would give the government powers that are making filmmakers nervous. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is asking for cuts to a movie named Aadhaar that has already been certified for theatrical release by the Central Board of Film Certification, the Times of India reported. Even after the clearance by the censor board, the Jio Studios-produced film ran into trouble after UIDAI officials saw the trailer in February and requested a screening, in director Suman Ghosh's absence. The UIDAI does not have the legal authority to request these changes, and it is unclear what it plans on doing if the film is released without making the edits. MediaNama has reached out to Ghosh for comment and has filed an RTI with the UIDAI to obtain a copy of the changes that have been requested. Cuts requested: Ghosh told the Times of India that UIDAI officials were upset by some dialogs in the film, such as one where a villager asks if the government will intrude into their bathrooms (in the context of Aadhaar and privacy), one dialogue saying "I am Aadhaar," modelled after Amitabh Bachchan's "I am azaad" [free], Ghosh said. But UIDAI officials have not provided a written list to anyone, he claimed. "Although legally they can’t stop the film’s release, my producer is treading on eggshells," Ghosh said. Why it matters: India already has a film censorship regime that is among the most conservative in…
