CBFC chief claims 90 pc panel members are uneducated

'At least 200 such members are chosen by ministry'

Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Leela Samson has claimed that 90 per cent of the panel members certifying movies are “uneducated political workers” who do not understand their responsibility.

She said most of the panel members, handpicked by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry every two years, proved to be an “embarrassment” to the CBFC. Noted Bharatanatyam dancer Samson also refuted the proposition that board members watched every film before its release.

Samson said: “The fact of the matter is, and the ministry is aware of this, that the men and women who certify these films are called panel members, as opposed to board members. At least 200 such members are chosen, not by the CBFC, but by the ministry every two years.”

The panel members are largely “insensitive individuals, politically ambitious people and party workers”, she said. When this was pointed out to I&B Minister Manish Tewari, he responded that they were also representatives of the country, she added.

“There is no doubt, a few educated among them exist in every region, but 90 per cent of them are uneducated and an embarrassment to us. They cannot read nor write, cannot sign their names on the forms, leave alone read the script of the film they are watching or understand the responsibility that this empanelment entails,” Samson said, adding the board has to receive the blame for their decision.

The disclosure by the Censor Board chairperson was made in response to a group of Mumbai-residents who lodged a complaint referring to “vulgar dialogues” used in the Hindi film “Grand Masti”. They objected to the CBFC certification issued to the movie.

In a mail to the minister on September 19, the chairperson accused the ministry of ignoring her plea to allow the board to appoint panel members.

With regard to certification granted to the movie, she said it was for the ministry to tell how such members were appointed.

“It is time for the ministry to reply to your individual letters about the certification of ‘Grand Masti’ and to tell the nation and our board why incompetent, insensitive and uneducated people are certifying our films,” she said.

“Every member of the board is shocked at how the film ‘Grand Masti’ was given certification. You may think that members of the board certify all films in India, but this is not the case.

We only take the flak for all the irresponsible decisions,” she said. Advocate Jyotika Kalra produced the letter, while arguing on a petition filed by Dinesh Chaddha and others challenging the certification issued to the film in the Supreme Court.

She wanted the bench of Justices B S Chauhan and S A Bobde to issue direction to the CBFC to reconsider its decision. The counsel also pointed out that the plea for review was also pending before the board.

“First let the chairperson examine the issue, then you can go back to high court. At the moment don’t press your petition,” the bench said.