James Bond and woman MP

New Delhi: The “social effect” of James Bond films has worried a woman member of the Rajya Sabha.

Sarla Bhaduria ( SSP) tabled three questions on several English and Indian films for which written answers were given by information and broadcasting minister K. K. Shah today.

Shah said films like Dr. No, 007 With Love and Gold Finger portraying the fictitious intelligence agent James Bond were classified under “light entertainment” category and subjected to the usual process of certification.

He replied in the negative to her question whether the government had assessed the social effect of such films. That was ordinarily the work of the Central Board of Film Censors.

About Indian film — Shagird — which contained a reference to premarital pregnancy, he told the member that when given the certificate the Censor Board took into consideration the totality of moral and social message of a film as a whole on the audience.

The incidence of pre- marriage pregnancy as depicted in the film was “moral, serious and chaste enough” to be given of a certificate for unrestricted exhibition.

In reply to another question of Bhaduria, Shah said all objections received on another Indian film. An Evening in Paris, had been sent to the Censor Board. A decision whether to ban it or not would be taken after the board submitted its report as provided under the rules.