SHOULD FTV BE CENSORED?

We’re living in a democracy and I think everyone has the right to decide for himself what he wants to see and what he doesn’t. If he doesn’t want to see FTV he can switch channels or even switch off the TV, right? - Hemant Trivedi

The government’s decision not to pull out the channel but only edit out offensive portions seems fair enough, but in my opinion not really necessary. If it’s a question of vulgarity and the fear that FTV could be a corrupting influence on impressionable young minds, then I’d say that that would depend on the child and his upbringing.
- Neeta Lulla

HEMANT TRIVEDI: Our government can’t take it upon themselves to be a culture police and decide what is right and what is wrong for the people of the country. What is right for you may be wrong for me and vice versa. We’re living in a democracy and I think everyone has the right to decide for himself what he wants to see and what he doesn’t. If he doesn’t want to see FTV he can switch channels or even switch off the TV, right?

It is even worse to come down strongly on something like fashion since looking good is integral to all human beings and fashion can range from a comb in the back pocket to a woman standing for hours in front of the mirror prettying herself. Looking good is an integral part of our culture too. Just take a tour of the temples of Khajuraho and the scuptures of Ajanta and Ellora and you’ll see Menka and other apsaras adorning themselves, a feast for all eyes in their erotic glory. Their nudity is a part of our heritage and before our politicians start censuring FTV why don’t they spare a thought for these cave paintings and sculpture. And what about the film industry where women are being exploited everyday?

Personally, I have never been inspired or influenced by any channel showcasing the works of different designers. If I watch FTV it’s only for its great music. But having a fashion channel on 24 hours can be very helpful for fashion conscious individuals and young students because it gives them access to fashions from all over the world

I’m not against censoring the channel if there are portions offensive to a large majority, but I don’t think one or two people should be given the right to be the spokespersons for the entire nation and decide what to ban and what to black out. These are important decisions and have to be taken by the right-minded people who have to take into consideration with the views of the majority.

NEETA LULLA: The government’s decision not to pull out the channel but only edit out offensive portions seems fair enough, but in my opinion not really necessary. If it’s a question of vulgarity and the fear that it could be a corrupting influence on impressionable young minds, then I’d say that that would depend on the child and his upbringing.

Also India’s never been prudish on issues like nudity and erotica in the past. Remember Kama Sutra and our scuptures? So why turn coy now! If FTV is BAD then so are all the other music channels like MTV and Channel (V).
Personally, I think FTV is great for us designers. Earlier we had to rely on regular forecasts to catch up with what was happening in the world of fashion. But now, thanks to FTV, we’re up on the latest trends and get to see the new designs of top designers live.

It is also a platform for designers like Ritu Beri and JJ Vallaiya who’ve gone international, and can take their talent to the world. FTV may be a French channel but it doesn’t only showcase Parisian designers. It taps talent on a global scale and that’s why it can be a boost to Indian designers too.

LEENA DARU: I think the government’s decision to censor FTV is fair and fine. When I was designing for a period film like Utsav I had come up with costumes that revealed a lot of skin, but they never looked vulgar and would never have been termed offensive. I have also made a guided tour of almost all our ancient temples and seen scuptures that were very erotic. But it’s one thing to see stone statues that are lifeless and another to see live models parading near nude 24 hours of the day. The latter experience can be very titillating and I think the government is right to want to curb such provocation.

have nothing against Western culture and I think everyone has the right to wear what they want but it should suit his or her personality and should be in keeping with our sanskar. Personally, I see no reason for us to be so aware of Western fashions and accept them so whole-heartedly when most of it is not only alien to our culture but often not wearable given our different seasons which have so important a role to play in determining our wardrobe. However, despite my conservativly Indian outlook I wouldn’t want to ban the channel because there are many good things about Western culture that we can imbibe. But as I pointed out, a 24-hour fashion channel concentrating majorly on Western designers can also be very provocative and I’d say it is a good decision to exercise some censorship.

ANNA SINGH: I don’t see why there should be such vehement objections to FTV. With the sudden escalation of mass communication a number of things have entered the category of obscenity and over-exposure. So why raise a furore over FTV alone, why aren’t we talking of banning a number of internet sites and some TV programmes and channels too?

Personally, I don’t think FTV even needs to be edited, but editing, I would say, is better than eradicating the channel completely. Since the global merger our designers have started coming on it and creatively it’s making a strong statement.

MANI RABADI: I don’t watch much TV these days but what little I have seen of FTV seemed pretty good though it has never inspired me. I wouldn’t agree that it has an adverse effect on Indian culture because first and foremost, it is not showing Indian culture. It’s projecting the culture and fashions of the West and if the people there want to wear bikinis or dresses with plunging necklines, who are we to tell them not to. They don’t decide what we do so who are we to rule and overrule them when it comes to what they wear!

In fact, I think we are making too much of a hue and cry over a non-issue. If it’s a question of sensibility and individual tastes, then if you don’t like what you see you can always shut your eyes or switch channels. It’s that simple.
As for FTV being a corrupting influence on the young, I’d say we are arousing their curiosity by not letting them watch it. Once the kids are grown-up and you let them tune into what they want, I find that they themselves turn off the TV when they come across instances of graphic nudity. It’s our culture and the way their minds have been conditioned that stops them from watching near-nude models parading down the ramp.

ASHLEY: We are a free country and I think everyone in India has the right to view and wear what they want and we shouldn’t try to curb their freedom of experession given the fact that it is one of the fundamental rights accorded to us by our constitution. We can’t stop people from living their life the way they want to. If they want to watch FTV let them, if they don’t they can always switch channels.

For designers like us FTV is a good thing because it gives us a chance to showcase our work all over the world and to catch up with the latest fashions. Some of what you see is wearable, some bizzare but all of it is most inspiring and I would rather it be censored than banned and taken out of our reach.

REZA: I think instead of bothering about non-issues like FTV we need to pay more attention to important issues like the Gujarat earthquake. I wonder how many people are watching FTV. I do know however that a majority of them are watching the news to find out what’s happening to the victims of the killer quake.

The question of whether FTV is “vulgar” or not is something that will differ from one person to the next. I’m a designer and I find it very inspiring. It gives me a lot of ideas. However, I know there are others for whom some of the clothes modelled on the channel lean towards perversion. Different stratas of the society will view the channel differently depending on who is watching and for what reason.

Roshmila Bhattacharya
roshmila@hotmail.com

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