Tag: Central Board of Film Certification

Local organizations or states cannot ban film certified by CBFC, Tewari

NEW DELHI: The central government reiterated in Parliament today that a local organization cannot ban a film if it has a problem with the content of that film and has to approach the Central Board for Film Certification in redressal.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari stressed that state governments have the power to regulate cinemas under Constitution‘s entry 33 in List II, subject to the exclusive power of the Central Government for certification (entry 60, List I).

Referring to cases where films had been banned or held up by state governments, Tewari said the film ‘Viswaroopam‘ was not banned but delayed by executive orders under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code in Tamil Nadu. In 2011, the film ‘Dam 999‘ was banned by Tamil Nadu while ‘Aarakshan‘ was banned in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The Minister said Article 19(2) of the Constitution provides for reasonable restrictions imposed by Law on the freedom of speech and expression.

The exclusive power of certifying films for public screening rests with the Central Board of Film Certification as mandated by the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

Executive orders of State Governments, at times, also orders issued under various State laws relating to Cinema made under Entry 33, List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, regulate public screening.

March 11, 2013
I&B frowns on news channels showing adult film content

NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has asked news and current affairs channels not to show as part of news any clips from feature films that violate the Programme Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) 1995.

In an advisory issued by the Ministry, it took note of the fact that certain news channels were showing film clips not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

It has been pointed out by the Ministry that Rule Six of the Cable Rules 1994 are clear that no programme or film scenes that are not suitable for unrestricted exhibition or have been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification as suitable for unrestricted exhibition will be shown.

Furthermore, the Programme Code also makes this amply clear, the Ministry said in the advisory issued under Section 20 of the Act.

September 28, 2012
Entries invited for the best Indian films for the 59th National Film Awards
NEW DELHI: Entries have been invited by the Directorate of Film Festivals for the National Awards for features and non-feature films made in 2011.

Only Indian films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011 would be eligible for the 59th National Film Awards.

Entries have also been invited for the best book on cinema and for the best film journalist/critic, published during the calendar year 2011.

The last date for entries is 17 January 2011. All films must have English sub-titles.

The regulations are clear that any person found influencing the jury in any way would be disqualified from entering films for three years.

There will be a two-tier system of Regional Jury and Central Jury for making selection for the various categories of awards as specified. The Central jury and five Regional Juries will hold their meetings in Delhi,

The five regional juries will be:
- North: One Panel for films in Hindi, Punjabi, Dogri, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Urdu, English and Central Indian Languages.
- West: One Panel for films in Marathi, Gujarati and Konkani
- South I: One Panel for films in Tamil and Malayalam.
- South II: One Panel for films in Kannada, Telugu and Tulu.
- East: One Panel for films in Bengali, Assamese, Oriya, Manipuri and dialects spoken in North East.
Each Regional Panel would comprise a chairperson and one member (both of whom would be selected from outside the region) and three other members from within the region.

The Central Jury will comprise a chairperson and 10 members and the chairpersons of Regional Juries would serve on the Central Jury. The book jury will have three members.

Awards in features will be given in 29 categories, apart from the best film in a regional language recognized under the Constitution or English. There will be 22 categories in non-features.
December 28, 2011
Madras HC stays Aarakshan release

NEW MUMBAI: Even as the Madras High Court today directed an interim stay of Prakash Jha‘s Aarakshan for non-payment of dues, the film is to be screened before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Commission Chairman P L Punia said this here today after meeting Central Board of Film Certification Chairperson Leela Samson.

In Chennai, the stay by Justice Periyakaruppiah was granted after a civil suit was filed by Madhu Gupta and CG Photo Ltd for recovery of Rs 37.5 million in unpaid dues.

The petitioners had accused the filmmaker of not paying their dues and sought a stay on the release of the movie slated to be released on 12 August. The producer has not paid the money despite promise and the cheques given by him were reportedly dishonoured.

The film stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan with Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpayee and Prateik Babbar.

In Delhi, Punia said the film would be screened for the Commission, based on the outcome of the case in the Bombay High Court tomorrow. The commission wants to examine whether the film violates the provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Samson said that the Board was discussing all the issues with the Commission, but refused to divulge more since the matter was sub judice.

“The Commission has every right to be concerned about a matter of importance in the country. It has never said it wanted to interfere,” Samson said, adding, “We do not have any issue in discussing issues with it.”

Samson added, “The director Jha is right in saying that he won‘t be able to screen the movie for all. He‘s shown it to the right people, that is the CBFC.”
The CBFC passed the film without cuts with a U/A certificate as it felt the film was thought provoking. The certificate was awarded after an examining committee, set up with representatives from the Dalit, OBC, SC and ST community, reviewed the movie.

Pro-reservationists are up in arms against the film, saying it is anti-Dalit. However, Jha has repeatedly said at press meets that the film is only dealing with the commercialisation of education by institutions taking advantage of reservation. He has not spoken against reservation, which he and Bachchan said is a fact of life since the Supreme Court had upheld it.

August 8, 2011
Cable TV to air CBFC certified film, music video

NEW DELHI: Determined to clean up the Indian cable TV of what it feels is indecent content, the government brought in other regulation relating to airing of songs and promos.

The information and broadcasting ministry yesterday issued a notification that no film or film song or film promo or film trailer or music video or music album or their promos, whether produced in India or abroad, shall be carried through cable service unless it has been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as suitable for unrestricted public exhibition in India.

The move, according to the ministry, has been necessitated on the ground of a growing demand from the public to regulate airing of programmes containing obscenity, violence, cruelty etc., through cable TV networks.

In this regard, the ministry also cited a judgement of the Bombay High Court, which had directed cable operators not to carry any programme that was unsuitable for unrestricted public exhibition.

In a statement today, the I&B ministry said another rule relating to airing of ads has been amended.

From now on, no advertisement, which violates the code for
self-regulation for public exhibition, as adopted by the Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), shall be carried in the cable service.

The new norms have been inserted as an amendment to the Cable Television (Network) Rules 1994.

In the meanwhile, the government is still in the process of finalizing draft guidelines for content.

August 3, 2006