The X MEN of TELLY
SILENCE. BEEPS. CHOP-A-THONS. TELEVISION ENTERTAINMENT IS WEIGHING DOWN ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S PSYCHE WITH SELF-CENSORSHIP
It was a perfect Sunday afternoon, popcorn in hand, cushioned, we sat for a filmathon — a gangsta film, chick-flick and drama, much to our chagrin, there was silence, intermittent and beeped out, though! Scenes cut, dialogues beeped, with “XXXXX” running riot. An idealist might ask if the story comes mowed down with beeps, blanks, cuts and crucial parts missing, then what might be the point? Especially since the Internet is the new idiot box of the Net savvy, thanks to online streaming providers. Yet, the nature of the beast is universal, reaches living rooms of a mammoth country, watched by pesky 10year-olds, influenceable teens and tight-lipped adults. Argue about creative license and the essence being lost while watching a beeped off serial or film (in an urban context), be it odd pauses or cuts that might leave nothing to the imagination, or even leave one bemused as to how silencing the word “condom” or “gay” or “buttocks” is progress, all in the name of protecting sensibilities. There lies at the other end of this telly juggernaut, superstition-ridden, myth purporting shows on regional channels every day. A sense of caution is, of course, apt given the nature of TV, and being socially responsible. Yet, some examples of self-censorship border on ridiculous. Are we living in a nanny state?
Private channels under the aegis of the BCCC, which controls content and complaints, have strict guidelines from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry overseeing such matters, to “self-regulate” content before the I and B weighs down with fines, blackouts, etc. In effect, self-censorship has come of age. And out went an individual’s right to unaltered content.
While channels need to protect themselves, this overprotection, and deciding for an individual, means that content is for anyone to spike. Yes, silence is what we have become used to, lest scientific discussion and truth empower people. When Grease 2 was aired, its song, Reproduction was cut. Jurassic Park’s subtitles, had the innocent T-Rex blanked out… Confused? Further adding insult to educated injury are words like “Wenus” in Friends, butt, fondle, all “X” men on the telly. While it is paramount for channels to take into account sensibilities of a conservative and rational middle class and rural populace, the definition of explicit, radically forward content is skewed. Malayalam filmmaker and cartoonist K.P. Sasi feels that the ordinary Indian is more progressive than we think. The idea might be to protect creativity and be responsible in a country that shows angst when sentiments are hurt. Thus, private channels tread carefully or are put on the guillotine.
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The real irony is that while TV has a regulatory body that cracks down on sex, violence and political criticism, it seems totally relaxed about programmes that promote superstition, religious propaganda and irrational thinking — ANAND PATWARDHAN, FILMMAKER