Need to adopt US system of censorship: Shabana
Actor responds to the controversial blacklisting of ‘offensive’ words from Bollywood films.
Azmi believes that its time to give up the British system of censorship. PHOTO: AFP
MUMBAI:
Actor-social activist Shabana Azmi has slammed the Central Board of Film Certification’s decision to cut out profanity in films and has appealed it to give up the British system of censorship in favour of the American one, whereby the filmmakers are liberal about their own films and censorship.
CBFC chairperson Pankaj Nihalani has issued a controversial diktat blacklisting ‘offensive’ words from Indian films. The decision has left many Bollywood celebrities in shock and disagreement and Shabana is one of them.
She feels “Censor Board’s business is to certify and not censor according to appropriate ages”. “I think it is very important that we discard the British system, which means you appoint a chief and then you have 30 different people who willingly are chosen according to the political dispensation of the day which means every five years you expect the morality of your country to change,” Shabana said here Thursday at the screening of the film Qissa.
“Instead we should adopt the American system, whereby the filmmakers themselves yield and decide that they don’t want a single cut but they realise that age appropriate behaviour is important. If they have a universal exhibition then they voluntarily give cuts,” she added.
Azmi also heaped praise on Punjabi feature film Qissa, which depicts the life of a Sikh family post-partition. She said the film shows the turmoil after the partition in a true yet restrained form.
“Anup Singhs direction is masterful and restrained. He shows how suggested violence is far more chilling than graphic depictions of it #Qissa,” Shabana tweeted Friday. Shabana also praised the performances of the cast of the film that included critically acclaimed actors like Irrfan Khan and Tisca Chopra.
“Irrfan Khan is a giant of an actor. Tisca Chopra Tillotama Shome, Rasika Duggal give outstanding performances.#Qissa,” she added. In the film, Irrfan plays Sardar Umber Singh who walks across the border with his family including his wife (played by Tisca) and three daughters. The film released Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2015.
Actor-social activist Shabana Azmi has slammed the Central Board of Film Certification’s decision to cut out profanity in films and has appealed it to give up the British system of censorship in favour of the American one, whereby the filmmakers are liberal about their own films and censorship.
CBFC chairperson Pankaj Nihalani has issued a controversial diktat blacklisting ‘offensive’ words from Indian films. The decision has left many Bollywood celebrities in shock and disagreement and Shabana is one of them.
She feels “Censor Board’s business is to certify and not censor according to appropriate ages”. “I think it is very important that we discard the British system, which means you appoint a chief and then you have 30 different people who willingly are chosen according to the political dispensation of the day which means every five years you expect the morality of your country to change,” Shabana said here Thursday at the screening of the film Qissa.
“Instead we should adopt the American system, whereby the filmmakers themselves yield and decide that they don’t want a single cut but they realise that age appropriate behaviour is important. If they have a universal exhibition then they voluntarily give cuts,” she added.
Azmi also heaped praise on Punjabi feature film Qissa, which depicts the life of a Sikh family post-partition. She said the film shows the turmoil after the partition in a true yet restrained form.
“Anup Singhs direction is masterful and restrained. He shows how suggested violence is far more chilling than graphic depictions of it #Qissa,” Shabana tweeted Friday. Shabana also praised the performances of the cast of the film that included critically acclaimed actors like Irrfan Khan and Tisca Chopra.
“Irrfan Khan is a giant of an actor. Tisca Chopra Tillotama Shome, Rasika Duggal give outstanding performances.#Qissa,” she added. In the film, Irrfan plays Sardar Umber Singh who walks across the border with his family including his wife (played by Tisca) and three daughters. The film released Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2015.