Benegal panel on censor board to seek extension of tenure

NEW DELHI: The Shyam Benegal panel, constituted to look at the overall functioning of the censor board, will seek an extension of its tenure from the information and broadcasting ministry.

The committee, which was expected to provide a holistic framework for film certification, was to submit its recommendations by this month end.

“We have just finished getting feedback from all the stakeholders. We will have our next meeting in a week’s time. We will be asking for

THE PANEL WAS FORMED AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF CONTROVERSIES RELATED TO THE CBFC AND WAS ASKED TO SUBMIT ITS REPORT IN 2 MONTHS

an extension as it cannot be done in a hurry,” said Indian director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal. When asked about how long an extension he has in mind, Benegal said it could be a month or more.

The ministry had on January 1 constituted the panel headed by the filmmaker for a holistic interpretation of the provisions of the Cinematograph Act and Rules.

The panel was formed against the backdrop of a string of controversies related to the CBFC and was asked to submit its report within two months.

A few days before the panel was constituted, I&B Minister Arun Jaitley had said he felt a time had come to have a look at the role of the CBFC which needs to be “controversy-free”.

The committee includes actor Kamal Haasan, filmmakers Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra among others.