Stringent standards for certification of item songs in offing

The censor board has decided to make more stringent its standards for certification of item songs and other such film clips meant for telecast on TV following a number of complaints and suggestions, especially after the brutal Delhi gangrape incident. "The certification for songs is granted before the certification of the entire film. We have informed the I&B ministry that songs, which the board classifies a 'A' should not be allowed to be telecast on TV," said Pankaj Sharma, spokesperson Central Board of Film Certification. The National Commission of Women had also written to CBFC questioning the suitability of two songs for family viewing. According to sources, there was a view in the CBFC that some content like item songs was not suitable for all television viewers during general viewing hours. "The board has decided that it would be more stringent in giving its go ahead to short film clips and songs which are telecast on TV with a U/A certificate. The lyrics as well as visual content of some songs which were allowed in the recent past managed to do so because of certain precedents that had been set in the past," a source said. According to sources, certain item songs, lyrics or visuals of which may even seem titillating were earlier passed because of a precedence of similar songs being cleared earlier, adding the censor board wants to rectify this now. Item song clips which run on television channels are a big way through which publicity generated for films. While the censor board is reconsidering its policy towards item songs on TV the I&B ministry has also formed a panel under Mukul Mudgal, retired Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to examine issues related to the CBFC. Among the terms of reference of the Committee is that it recommends measures including statutory changes to enable CBFC to deal with contemporary requirements of certification. The Board will also deliberate on requirement of special categories of certification for the purposes of broadcasting on television channels and radio stations.