Nihalani should be credited for reforms in CBFC, says tribunal

NEWDELHI: Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani who has been in the eye of a storm for his conservative diktats to film makers came in for praise from the head of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal chairperson (FCAT) Justice Manmohan Sarin for doing his job well.

Speaking at the launch of an online certification facility for filmmakers, Justice Sarin said, Nihalani is a “well meaning person” and should be credited for “introducing reforms”.

FCAT is the tribunal that hears the appeals filed by film makers or producers who are aggrieved by the CBFC’s orders.

Incidentally, FCAT on Monday organised a hearing for the film Lipstick Under My Burkha, which has been refused certification by the CBFC. “Lady Chatterley's lover was banned and even the Supreme Court upheld that, but now we have books which are a hundred times more explicit…norms are changing, at the same time we have to sustain our own values,” the FCAT chairman said. I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu who inaugurated the online system for certification said the ministry is looking at revamping the guidelines for CBFC’s working, but the online system will make the Central Board of Film Certification(CBFC office paper less and allow monitoring and real time progress tracking for projects. Three Central Board of Film Certification(CBFC)Board members however chose to stay away from the function on account of disagreement within the Board.