Censor board chief bans most cuss words

NEW DELHI: The newly recast Pahlaj Nihalani-headed censor board has just read out a prudish script to film-makers, seeking to bring back a moral code that appeared to be easing in recent years.

A directive to producer associations has asked them to not just skirt “objectionable” words — including English and various local, Hindi cuss words — but also aims to seek conformity from directors and scriptwriters on cultural matters and political correctness.

For instance, “Bombay”, the B **** rd and its variant in Hindi

Any variation of the word f**k Any variant of the word b**ch Many Hindi words, including b ****** od, m ****** od, have been banned colonial name of India’s financial capital changed to Mumbai in 1995, isn’t acceptable.

The new censor board comprises members mostly formally or informally associated with the ruling BJP. The censor board has also called upon its certifiers not to allow films that glorify bloodshed or show violence against women

Mumbai cannot be referred to as Bombay as it was officially changed in 1995.

On February 2, the board blurred out “Bombay” from a music video by artist Mihir Joshi. The word in the song was used to rhyme with “today”.

The censor board has also called upon its certifiers not to allow films that glorify bloodshed or show violence against women.

“These are old guidelines but were not being followed. After the film Omkara, using cuss words has become the norm. We have to protect our culture,” censor board chief Nihalani told HT.

At a time when Bollywood has evolved to increasingly embrace a more realist approach to themes and depiction, discarding old ways, the board’s directive to re-assert the guideliness could result in unease.

“This is so regressive. Bollywood can’t be a soft power without freedom. You can’t stop an elephant with cobwebs,” filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said.