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10/29/2023
What is Censorship?

• Although the Constitution of India de jure guarantees freedom of expression, de facto,

there are various restrictions on content, with an official view towards “maintaining
communal and religious harmony,” given the history of communal tension in the nation.
• The suppression of speech, public communication, or other information is known as
censorship.
• This may be achieved by identifying the content deemed undesirable, damaging,
sensitive, or “inconvenient. Censorship is conducted and controlled by governments,
private institutions, and other regulating bodies.
• The issue of film censorship in India pertains to the
Right To Freedom of Speech and Expression which is guaranteed under Article 19(1) (a)
of the Indian Constitution as a fundamental Right. However, Fundamental Rights are not
absolute but also subject to certain restrictions.
• Censorships can be used in oral and written communications. Its scope includes
publications judged offensive, not decent, obscene, and sexually explicit, including books,
magazines, newspapers, radio, television, etc.
Introduction
• Films have always been concerning a most powerful medium of expression. It is
stationarily accepted that cinema is a form of speech & expression. It cannot
double that motion films are the most important medium of communication.
They may affect public attitudes and behavior in numerous ways i.e., in negative
or positive ways. Motion pictures are the best way to express public opinion.
They are not the only mode of entertainment. If we see other media sources
such as newspapers, books, and radio cinema play a relative role in circulating
the ideas. The impact of cinema is more than other mediums. The impact of
cinema on society is unbelievable. Cinema has the power to mold the morality
and habits of the youth which cannot be avoided. Although to the same extent
cinema is commercial but, an effective agent for the circulatory idea. So as
cinema plays a vital role in circulating the ideas towards the society, it should
have given some legal protection of freedom of speech and expression in any
constitution.
The history of censorship
• The CBFC could be a governmental regulatory body for the Indian
filmmaking trade, popularly called censor board, it had been discovered of
cinematography act of 1952. Cinematic graph act came into existence in
1920, when the first film (Raja Harishchandra) was released in 1934. India
censor boards were placed underneath the police chiefs in cities of Madras
(now Chennai), Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), Lahore
(now Pakistan), and Rangoon (now Yangon in Myanmar).
• These regional censors were independent. After independence, the self-
rule of regional censors was eliminated, and they were escorted under the
Bombay of film censor. With the execution of the cinematograph Act in
1927, the board was uniform and rebuilt, as the CBFC censors in 1952.
Cinematograph rules were amended in 1983 and since the CBFC censor are
known as CBFC.
 Why Is censorship of movies neccesary??
• Influences the young
• Nowadays, most movies have unrealistic scenes. Violent scenes that motivate young viewers to copy the tasks their
heroes perform on screen may cost them their lives. movies which claim that consumption of drugs is injurious to health
are actually promoting the use of drugs as young minds grow curious to try them in real life. It is better such scenes are
censored. Children are also watching ‘A’ certified movies, filled with full of violence. Accessibility of movies has increased
considerably. So there is a need to remove scenes of too much violence and vulgarity.
• Tackles the unacceptable
• If a part of a movie contains scenes or language that cannot be accepted by people of all religions, then there will be
calls to ban the movie and a riot may break out. So, to avoid them, the government has set up a board that will censor
those unacceptable parts. If there is no censorship, there are dangers that movies that hurt sentiments of certain
sections will be out in public. This can lead to violence and threatens public order.
• Keeps children safe
• Censoring certain parts of movies helps keep children away from hearing and seeing inappropriate things. Nowadays,
children are addicted to watching TV. When a movies is shown on TV — and most movies are these days — children are
exposed to it. Inappropriate scenes or a string of wrong words can teach them all the wrong things and have a bad
influence. As a society, we have a responsibility to protect children from being exposed to dangerous content.
• Maintains harmony
• Scenes that make a travesty of history or create friction amongst people should be completely removed. The case of the
movie, Padmaavat, which released in January 2018, is the perfect example for the need of censoring movies to maintain
communal harmony
DISADVANTAGE OF CENSORSHIP IN MOVIES
• DISADVANTAGES OF CENSORSHIP
• An art
• The arts do not influence people’s thoughts and feelings, let alone their actions, unless they connect with something
already present in those people’s personalities or experience. People choose what art they will look at, what movies they
will watch, what games they will play or what sites they will visit, because of who they already are. Cinema, like other art
forms, is a medium for expression. Filmmakers translate their vision onto the big screen through months or years of hard
work. Thus, to snip off portions that are undesirable in a movie is unfair.
• Obstructs creativity
• Censoring parts of a movies obstructs its creative flow and nullifies the effect of the narrative. It is always up to us if we
want to watch a movie or not. Censoring parts of it means breaking the million thoughts and ideas that go into building
that movies. Documentaries, which are meant to expose truths, are also undergoing many cuts. Filmmakers spend lot of
money and time to make movies. If parts of the movie are cut in the name of censorship, they will be discouraged to
make more movies.
• Essence lost
• Be it a plot or sub-plot, every part of a movie is crucial. So, with a part missing, the entire essence of the movie is lost. It’s
time to leave movies in the hands of the movie’s crew, and not the certification board. People have the mental ability to
decide what to watch and what not to watch. Government has no right to decide what people are allowed to watch.
• Television and Internet
• There is no censorship to content on Television and Internet. Hence there is no point in censoring just movies. There are
lots of short films and movies available in the internet too.
Role of cbfc
• In India, films are released when they are examined by CBFC. If CBFC finds
anything which seems too offensive, vulgar, or violating fundamental rights. So,
the board directs the makers to make some cuts in the movie. The restrictions
which are imposed must be reasonable, as the restrictions are imposed on
fundamental rights. The term reasonable is mentioned in article 19 sub-clause
(2) of the Indian constitution act which empowers the judiciary to set in the
judgmental over legislative resolve. The supreme court always points that
reasonableness will depend on upon facts and circumstances of the case. But
the limitation on the right should satisfy the following requirements for its
validity.
• 1) The restriction which is imposed must be by a valid law.
• 2) The restrictions must be reasonable.
• 3) The restrictions must be imminently related to the purpose mentioned in
ARTICLE 19(2).
Certificate issue
• At present, there are 4 categories, initially, there were only two categories:
• 1) U (Universal exhibition);
• 2) A (restricted to adult audiences).
• In June 1983 two additional classes were added:
• 3) U/A (Unrestricted public exhibition required parental guidelines for children below the age of 12);
• 4) S (restricted to specialized audiences such as doctors, scientists, etc).
• Instead of granting a film with the above four certifications, boards can refuse to certify.
• U (Universal exhibition): films with U certifications are universal, which means they can be seen by the whole public. A
film with U certification contains some universal content like education, family, action, etc. these films may contain some
vulgar scenes (without any nudity and sex scenes).
• U/A (requires parents’ advice below the age of 12): films with U/A certification may contain some adult scenes that are
not too strong and can be watched by children but under the guidelines of parents. These types of films may contain
ordinary content of violence, many scenes with vulgarity (little scene of nudity & sexual details), and muted abusive
language.
• A (Restricted to the adult exhibition): film with “A” certification is available only for those who have attained the age of
majority. These films contain violence, sex acts, abusive languages (words that insult the women are not allowed). Such
type of movies is usually re-certified for TV and video.
• S (Restricted specialized class): films with “S” Certifications are not for the normal public. Only professional people have
permission to watch.
Suggestions

• Central Board of Film Certification should be strict while certifying a

movie. As some movies are certified by CBFC but lead to a
disturbance in society because of their content.
• Cinema halls should be checked when movies are screened, for
crossing checking that movies are screened as to their certificate.
• The last and most important point which has been found in my
research is that movies with “A” certificates which are meant for
adults are watched by minors.
• The booking clerk gives a ticket to minors in black to earn more
money. There is no proof such violators are punished or not. So, there
is a need to work on this point.
Conclusion
• If we the history of films, it would be found that
there always one section who will be against the
movie. The movie is made to leave a message for
society in a positive manner. Further, it depends on
society how they take them.
• So its up to you to decide
The end of the presentation

"FEAR IS NOT EVIL. IT TELLS YOU WHAT WEAKNESS

IS. AND ONCE YOU KNOW YOUR WEAKNESS, YOU
CAN BECOME STRONGER AS WELL AS KINDER."
references
• References
• K.A Abbas vs Union of India, 1970SCC.780 see here,
https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/abbas-v-india/
• Indian film board clears Lipstick Under My Burkha for release see here,
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/26/indian-film-board-clears-lipstick-under-my-
burkha-release
• History CBFC see here, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Central-Board-of-Film-Certification
• UDTA PUNJAB” a film produced by Anurag Kashyap and Ekta Kapoor see here
https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/how-cbfc-made-udta-punjab-bleed-here-are-al
l-the-94-cuts/story-R5V1SvN0IC3aaNUigtUm9M.html
• https://www.newslaundry.com/2015/10/14/how-is-a-film-certified-by-the-censor-board
• Process of certification see here ,
https://www.academia.edu/41614898/GRANTING_OF_CERTFICATE_TO_FILMS_UNDER_CINE
MATOGRAPHIC_ACT
• In 2002, the film War and Peace see here,
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Censorship_in_India
• The girl with the dragon tattoo see here,
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/International-Films-Banned-In-India/
THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TILL
THE END OF THIS PRESENTATION