Committee favours new criteria for choosing censor panelists

Observing that there were many complaints from filmmakers regarding those on censor board panels, a committee constituted to review the functioning of the Cinematograph Act has suggested a fresh criterion for appointment of those judging movies.
In its report, the committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal said that at almost every public hearing, it was faced with grievances put forth by producers, directors and associations that the present procedure for appointment of members of the advisory panel, their eligibility criteria and the quality of such panel were far from satisfactory.
"At certain locations, members of such advisory panel lack any form of cinematic understanding, they perceive their role to be that of a Censor Board to cut and chop scenes and in some cases being affiliated to some political, religious or social group, impose without restraint, such political, religious or personal opinions upon content permissible in a film," the committee said in its report.

It said it came across complaints where panel members had objected to use of words such as "boyfriend" or "kiss" in a scene or even the uncharitably humorous representation of a political figure.
In its report the committee recommended that the name of such the 'advisory panel' of Censor Board be changed to 'screening panel'. It has recommended that the Board set up a Committee comprising nine of its members ensuring diverse language representation and presence of at least two women members.
This committee would prepare a panel of members, which shall be twice the number of vacancies and who have experience in the field of art, cinema, drama, law, literature, history, sociology, psychology, media, education, performing arts, or public administration are deemed fit to judge the effect of film on the public, it said.

From this pool, the central government shall finally appoint such members of screening panel, the committee has said.