Sharmila Tagore against ban on adult films on TV

New Delhi, Sep 9: Censor Board chairperson Sharmila Tagore has opposed the blanket ban on showing adult movies on television, saying that was not the right way to protect children from watching such films.

Nowhere in the world was there a ban, and there should be a specified time for adult viewing, as that would be a practical and reasonable solution, she said in an interview to Devil's Advocate programme of the CNN-IBN to be broadcast on Sunday night.

''After all there are many 'A' certified films which are relevant and adults would like to watch them in the comfort of their homes...I feel that is a reasonable compromise. I am in favour of it,'' said Censor Board of Film Certification(CBFC).

According to Ms Tagore, the time between 2300 hrs and 0400 hrs would be most suitable for adult films as during this period, it would be easy for parents to keep children away from television.

She disclosed that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was thinking of creating an adult viewing time zone on television along similar lines.

Ms Tagore also expressed strong reservations against the decision of the Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi to personally see the Da Vinci Code before its release even though it had been cleared by the Censor Board.

'' Unfortunately I was travelling. I was not here in the country.

If I had been here I would most certainly have picked up the phone and tried to speak to the Minister and said please don't do this because it's going to set a very bad precedent. I think that's my responsibility to do so. That's why I'm here.'' She hoped such a thing will not happen again, adding that she was confident that the matter had been sorted out between her and the Information and Broadcasting Minister.

About her decision to refer 'Rang de Basanti' to the Air Force before clearing the film and whether this undermined both the autonomy and the authority of the Censor Board, Ms Tagore said her objective was to clear the film and how she did it was simply a matter of strategy.

Ms Tagore said that the CBFC has asked the government for an A+ or X rating so that adult films with explicit language or explicit scenes could be released in their entirety without censoring or deleting. She added that CBFC under her had no qulams about kissing provided it was aesthetically pleasing. She, however, said she would not permit pornographic films as proposed by her predecessor Vijay Anand.

''I don't think society or the Indians are ready for that.

There is a cultural difference between India and the rest of the world,'' said the CBFC chief.

When asked whether she believed the freedom of expression included the right to satirise and mock, she said it depended on the merit, on whether the intention was to just mock and offend or initiate a discourse to criticise something in a creative way.

She, however, said people should be tolerant, understanding, not so quick to take offence, and ready to laugh at themselves.

Ms Tagore made a distinction between people who take offence and the organisation who represent them.

''It is very seldom that people take offence, it is some orgainsations who speak on their behalf,'' she said.

UNI