Cinematographer Act to soon get a new version, says Censor board CEO

At a workshop cum awareness programme on film certification,one of the rare events held in the city,Pankaja Thakur,CEO,Central Board of Film Certification prepped herself for what lay ahead — a volley of questions,occasional spurts of anger and accusations. By now,the petite CEO is used to the ‘occupational hazards’ that comes with her job. “It’s not easy sitting in this chair,” she smiles,lending a patient ear to each and every person who had turned up for the workshop. Most of them writers,producers and filmmakers from north India,they came with queries and grudges,especially the unnecessary censors,the latest being seeking a clearance from Animal Welfare Board for using animals in a visual feature and the urgent need for younger,more fresh and vibrant lot to take control of the Censor Board so as to bring in a change.

“Well,that is not really possible..we cannot have 20 year olds handling something as serious as this. This job requires experience and maturity,and right age,according to me,would be between 25 and 45,” avers Pankaja,adding how children first need to complete their education and then take charge. While she agrees there is a new wave in cinema,subjects are getting bolder and so are the makers,panama strongly feels that because India is a vast and diverse country,one has to keep in mind the regional sensibilities and cultural differences too while forming the guidelines. “We work within the framework provided by the government. And it is also up to the regional representatives to filter the films and let us know whether the same can be screened or have to be censored.” With changing times,rules too need a change,and for that panama says that a new version of the Cinematographer Act will be tabled in Parliament soon. “Among the points incorporated,the two major ones are having a 15 plus certification for a film. Today,teens are the new twenties and a 15-year-old is far more aware than he was a decade back. So,the films which get UA or adult or parental guidance certificate should be re-evalued.”