Centre All Set to Revoke CBFC’s Powers With a Fresh Act

Shyam Benegal’s committee submits its report for revamping the CBFC.

The Committee headed by Benegal submitted its report on the functioning of the Censor Board on 26 April. (Photo: The Quint)

The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry on Friday said that the Centre is looking to introduce a new Cinematograph Act which will revamp the role of the Censor Board. This comes after the huge outcry over the Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) indiscriminate censoring of Anurag Kashyap’s Udta Punjab.

An amendment to the Cinematograph Act 1952, in 1959, extended CBFC the power to certify films.

The proposed new law could be seen as a liberal move on the part of the committee as it seeks to broaden the categories under which films are currently reviewed and certified. This is subsequent to the report submitted by a committee headed by veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, on the functioning of the CBFC.

The other members of the committee include filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, ad-man Piyush Pandey, film critic Bhawana Somaaya, NFDC Managing Director Nina Lath Gupta and actor Kamal Hassan.

Shyam Benegal speaks to The Quint about his views on censorship and democracy. (Photo: The Quint)

Currently the films are rated under following four categories:

• U (unrestricted public exhibition)
  
• A (restricted to adults)
  
• U/A (unrestricted public exhibition with parental discretion required for children below 12 years)
  
• S (restricted to a special class of persons)

However, the new act seeks to establish sub categories to promote freedom of artistic expression.

We have decided to redo the Cinematograph Act. We are in advanced stages of discussion. The Act is very small with just 18 sections and instead of updating it, we might as well have a new Act.

Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for I&B

This move, if implemented effectively, would establish a holistic framework for film certification.

(Also Read: Amid ‘Udta Punjab’ Row, ‘Radical Changes’ in CBFC to Be Announced, ‘Udta Punjab’ Passed With an ‘A’ Certificate: CBFC Chief)

(Published with Inputs from Livemint and PTI)