MUMBAI: Aptly titled, "Cuts So Deep: Are We Sacrificing Creativity at the Altar of Morality?", one of the sessions on the first day of FICCI Frames 2014 spoke about those 'cuts' in the films that leave a deep mark in the memory of the filmmakers. Most of the times, these cuts suggested by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) doesn't even make sense to the people who were involved creatively in the making of the film.
The debate, in the presence of esteemed guests like Sudhir Mishra, Ramesh Sippy, Ravi Kottarakara, Kajol and the newly appointed CEO of CBFC Rakesh Kumar, highlighted many issues that filmmakers are grappling with because of the guidelines stated in the archaic Cinematograph Act of 1952.
However, the film industry is pinning its hopes on the new government for amendments to the Cinematograph Act.
At the session, the filmwallahs brought to the fore how the guidelines push them back by many years by not giving them the freedom that's actually their right.
"When a director shoots a scene, he envisions it in a certain way. If there's a smoking scene, an atmosphere is created with that. When it is cut, the shot loses its charm," remarked Mishra while putting across an example.
Another major issue discussed was that of a scroll on the frame showing smoking, sex scenes etc for which filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has even gone to the court and the matter is still pending in the court.
Another point that came up during the discussion was of giving 'A' certificate to certain films based on real issues that need to be promoted all across, while some films just because they come from 'bigger' banners are passed with U or U/A even when they have 'bold' scenes.
To deal with all this, a committee headed by Justic Mukul Mudgal is travelling across the country to take suggestions from the film fraternity across India, the audiences and all the other stakeholders involved.
While Rakesh Kumar from CBFC was left in a fix with complex questions being posed to him, Film and TV Producers Guild of India CEO Kulmeet Makkar came to his rescue by stating that the industry needs to be patient for a little more time. "Since the revised guidelines have already been formed, we may expect things to change pretty soon," said Makkar, also revealing that 18 of the suggestions discussed in Chennai have already been accepted.
It seems the film industry can soon hope for better days ahead.
