Should I&B minister need to probe functioning of CBFC?

Hyderabad: Should the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (UMoI&B) probe the functioning of its statutory body, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), for misleading people?

It may be mentioned here that the recent The Hans India's stories had raised questions over the certification and controversy surrounding Telugu film 'Commitment'. Following these stories on August 4 (CFCB certification of film 'Commitment' raises eyebrows) and August 5 ('Commitment' film in Bhagavad Gita controversy: Central censor, members giving film certifications in violation of laws?), there were questions regarding the CBFC Hyderabad violating the discloser of the cut list of films certified in the public domain. Following this, the CBFC has published details of the film in question. This time the details give a shocker.

Early on, the CBFC Hyderabad details related to the film in public domain till August 3, 2022, shows that "Commitment" produced in Telugu of 159.58- meter length has been issued an 'A' certificate (restricted for screening for adults) on January 18, 2021, with certificate No. DIL/3/3/2021-HYD, following an application submitted by one of the producers Taduri Neelima of M/S Footloose Entertainment, and another producer, Baldev Singh of M/S F3 Productions.

Accordingly, the CBFC Hyderabad certified allowing the release of its trailer of 2.01 meters with a certification category of 'A' with the screening restricted to adults, on January 20, 2021, with certificate no. DIS/3/1/2021-HYD. Further, within two months it took a U-turn and modified the certification to 'UA' category for "Unrestricted Public Exhibition-But with Parental Guidance", on March 29, 2021, with certificate No. DIS/2/29/2021-HYD. That apart, it has also allowed increasing the length of the trailer from its earlier clearance of 2.01 meters to 2.04 meters.

That is all that the CBFC Hyderabad had informed people through its website meant to post the certification details as on August 3,2022. However, now it tells a completely different story. According to the new details shared the name of the film certified is not 'Commitment', but 'ENJOY (NO COMMITMENTS)". The film of 115.59 meters in length was issued 'A' certification, on January 27,2014 with certificate No. DIL-2-7-2014-HYD. The producer and applicant of the film were G Satyanarayana of M/s Sri Lakshmi Ganapathy Ayyappa Pictures'. Similarly, the TRAILER 1,2 OF 'ENJOY (NO COMMITMENTS)' was issued certification with 'UA' (Unrestricted Public Exhibition-But With Parental Guidance) with certification No. VIS-2-65-206-HYD" on April 21, 2016. The producer and the applicant of the film were the same. But, how the trailer of an 'A' certification issued film gets 'UA' certification remained a million-dollar question.

The new details by the CBFC Hyderabad, raises whether it is the same film which got its name changed and its producers changed. Or, is the film content also changed that made the CBFC, Hyderabad issue new certification numbers to the film? Above all, why has it hidden the details from the public and disclosed them only after it is questioned? Even now, why is it that the CBFC is hiding the cut-list details related to the film in question from the public eyes needs an answer? What's more interesting is, that not only the CBFC, Hyderabad but also the CBFC, Mumbai has not published the details of the cut-list related to the film 'Lal Singh Chadda' in public domain, making one wonder whether the UMoI&B needs to probe the functioning of its CBFC.