CENSORSHIP IN INDIA
INTRODUCTION:
The Censor Board or Central Board of Film Certification is a statutory censorship and a classification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. The board assigns certification to films, television shows, television ads, and publications for sale, hire or exhibition in India. A film could be publicly exhibited only after the board has certified to do so.
The history of Censor board goes way back to 1896, the year in which the first cinema came to India. With the production of the first cinema in India in 1913, Indian Cinematograph was passed which came into effect only in 1920. Censor Boards where then under police chiefs at various locations across the country.
The Censor Board consists of non official members and a Chairman, all of whom are appointed by the Central Government. The main headquarters of the board is at Mumbai and has nine Regional offices across the country being at locations like Kolkota, Chennai, Bangalore, Thiruvanthapuram, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Cuttack, and Guwahati.
CENSORSHIP: A BARRIER TO CREATIVITY AND BROAD MINDEDNESS
The censorship fever sweeping the country today, has put at stake the creativity and experimentations with unexplored dimensions of society by intellectual artists just to please the so called “traditionalists “ of this nation who believe themselves to be the guardians of this country’s cultural heritage. In this country any experimentations in visual media is considered taboo and there are always some or the other groups rising flag and protesting whatsoever. In India there is this big challenge to the film maker of satisfying everybody right from the censor board members to the extremist fringe groups and how do we expect pathbreaking works with such limited freedom of expression that blots one’s creativity and boldness which are the backbone of any artist’s intellect.
Unlike certain states in the west, Indian constitution offers little...