Malayalam filmmakers on Monday hailed the Bombay High Court order to spare Hindi film Udta Punjab of the large number of cuts recommended by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
“It is high time we got a verdict like this,” director Ranjith told The Hindu . “This is a landmark verdict for Indian cinema. It is a huge victory for the freedom of expression. We have been at the mercy of the board for far too long,” he said.
He said the verdict would put into focus the need for censoring films. “There is no censoring for other media such as television and newspapers and it is strange that only a film has to be censored before it reaches the audience,” he said.
“It is only fiction. A reader or viewer could get access to uncensored information about the horrific shooting incident in the United States on Sunday that killed 50 people.”
Director Blessy agreed with these views. “With the rapid growth of social media you cannot control the information at all these days,” he said. “If people can read or view about horrific incidents, will not they be tempted to commit similar crimes? A director should have the freedom to use scenes or dialogues that he feels are necessary for a film,” he said.
He, however, said the presence of sensible people in the board would ensure that the films were not harmed. “I would have faced several issues for my last film Kalimannu (which had shown the sequences of a real childbirth), but the board members could understand my intention clearly,” he said.
“Still, I feel the board should exercise its rights only in extreme situations. They could object to scenes that are anti-national in nature,” he said.
