Snip-shot

My tenure had its ups and downs. There was the Da Vinci Code controversy,the Jo Bole Sau Nihaal bomb blast,the stalled release of Fanaa in Gujarat,the Jodhaa Akbar controversy. But by and large,there was a greater synergy between the board,the government and the film producers. I requested the Ministry to allow the CBFC chairperson to interview the regional officers because ultimately we have to work in tandem.

In terms of achievements,what are you most proud of?

Well,I don’t think I need to be proud of any achievement. Whatever decisions we took were collective. I do like the fact that we managed to raise the profile of CBFC.

Earlier,it was an easy prey. Now people are more aware of the limitations under which CBFC operates.

The CBFC is governed by a 1952 Act. What changes do you recommend?

Well,I’ve suggested a 15-plus category for youngsters. The A category is for 18 and upwards. While there is not much of a difference between a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old,there is a difference between the maturity levels of a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old.

What do you have to say about the objections raised by the Censor Board regarding film titles — Yeh Saali Zindagi for example?

If it’s a dialogue then it’s fine because that comes with parental guidance but a film title enters normal discourse. Every time someone says,“Yeh Saali Zindagi ka ticket le aao… Yeh Saali Zindagi kaisi lagi”,it erodes something. But that’s my personal opinion. In CBFC,we follow a democratic process and go with the majority decision.

What was your biggest challenge as the chairperson?

When challenges arise,we get into crisis management mode,get on the phone 24/7 and do our best to get it resolved. The biggest worry is that when films with a political slant go into the interiors then the viewers can be easily manipulated. We’ve tried to tread with extreme caution with such films — we managed to release the Tamil film Kutrapathrikai (Chargesheet) based on Rajiv Gandhi assassination which was stuck for 13 years. When films come to us,they are already made,so we can’t suggest too many changes. We do the best we can so that maximum people can watch it.

But in the world of Internet,is censorship still relevant?

I believe there should be some kind of censorship in India. As a society,we look for consensus. Yes,India is growing and with the advent of television and foreign films,there is a change taking place but we still have to move with the pace of the society.