Top Filmmakers Have Written Against The Government's Proposed Changes To Cinematograph Act

Mumbai, June 30, 2021: Some of the top filmmakers of the country - Vetrimaaran, Anuraga Kashyap, Kamal Haasan, Hansal Mehta, among others have slammed the union government for proposed amendments to the 1952 Cinematograph Act, which, after the proposed changes, will grant the Centre "revisionary powers" and allow it to "re-examine" films that have already been cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

These actors and filmmakers have written an open letter to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) opposing the government's proposed amendments to the 1952 Cinematograph Act. The letter was written just days after filmmaker-musician Vishal Bhardwaj used Twitter to urge his peers in the industry to oppose the move.

I urge the Indian film fraternity and film lovers to oppose this unfair and unreasonable provision by writing an email to dhanpreet.kaur@ips.gov.in
and sharing their opinion before the deadline of 2 July. @producers_guild @DirectorsIFTDA @fwicemum

— Vishal Bhardwaj (@VishalBhardwaj) June 25, 2021

On Sunday evening, filmmaker Prateek Vats and documentary filmmaker Shilpi Gulati, along with an academician and a lawyer, produced an online letter with over 1400 signatories from various walks of life.

"As another blow to the film fraternity, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed new amendments to the Cinematograph Act under which the Central Government would have the power to revoke or recall certification of films which have already been cleared by the Censor Board", the letter read.



"Undermining the sovereignty of the Censor Board and the Supreme Court, this provision will effectively give the Central Government supreme power over cinema exhibition in the country potentially endangering freedom of expression and democratic dissent".

"This will also render filmmakers powerless at the hands of the state as more vulnerable to threats, vandalism, and intimidation of mob censors. The proposal to amend the Cinematograph Act comes two month Centre dissolved the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) in April 2021", the letter said.

Kamal Haasan, who has often criticized the BJP-led central government, has again come hard on the government and slammed the proposed changes. "Cinema, media and the literati cannot afford to be the three iconic monkeys of India. Seeing, hearing and speaking of impending evil is the only medication against attempts to injure and debilitate democracy", he wrote in a tweet.

Please act, voice your concern for freedom and liberty. @MIB_India#cinematographact2021 #raiseyourvoice (2/2)

— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) June 28, 2021

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