Shocker! Adult Films Won't Be Re-Censored For TV!

Censor Chief Pahlaj Nihalani has dropped another bomb on the Indian film industry.



With effect from today, no film which has an 'A' certificate will find its way into your TV set. Unlike in the past when 'A'-rated films would be aired on television after the requisite cuts, Nihalani has now decided that such films just cannot be aired on TV. No, not even after they have been re-censored to convert them into U or U/A.

Confirming the new move by the Censor Board, Nihalani said, "This was in existence since 1990 but wasn't ever put into practice. I am simply going by the book."

The Chairperson added, "Earlier the films were given an 'A' certificate simply because they had lots of violence and horror, but nowadays there are a lot of sex and double-meaning dialogues. The themes become so predominantly vulgar and we can't possibly edit out a film's theme. So how do we re-censor these films to make them U or U/A?"

Delving further, he said, "The CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) raised an objection to this. So now re-censoring has been put on hold."

Of course, a film which is not re-censored cannot be telecast on TV. You see, TV channels are not permitted lawfully to telecast films which are granted an 'A' certificate.

This spells bad news for filmmakers.



Films like Ragini MMS 2, Grand Masti, NH 10 and Badlapur will be the first to take the hit. These films were released in theatres with an 'A' rating but now, will not hit the tube. This is in sharp contrast to earlier years where A-rated films like The Dirty Picture and Ishqiya were modified to suit television content.



Producer-director Sanjay Gupta who starts his final schedule of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's comeback film Jazbaa on Monday, said, "I am in Goa. You guys have shocked me. This move will have a big adverse effect on Bollywood. Our industry is anyway going through financial upheavals. Now it would be further crushed."

Another filmmaker (on request of anonymity) said, "What's the point in rolling back by 26 years? Are we living in the medieval ages?"

Leading distributor Ramesh Sippy said, "I fail to understand why the Censor Board should have any objection to cutting scenes in a film if the makers don't? There is no rationale in this step." He added, "I suspected that such a thing was in the offing. This was being discussed at the Censor Board since the past two months."

Abbas Tyrewala, who directed Imran Khan's debut film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, was more frank and forthcoming. Said the director, "This is yet another step taken to curb the freedom of expression."

When contacted, Reema Kagti who directed Aamir Khan starrer Talaash shot back, "Censorship should not exist in a democracy. A good system of rating films is a better way of doing things. Viewers can then choose what they want to watch."

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