When the Minister for Justice takes law into her own hands

Maneka frames new set of rules for Censor Board

By Padmaraj Nair

It appears that the film industry can never break free from the clutches of those in the corridors of power. It’s proving difficult for film producers with every passing day to dance to the tune of ministers and bureaucrats and their missives.

Maneka Gandhi, minister for social empowerment and justice, shot off a letter recently asking the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Asha Parekh, to strictly deal with scenes depicting cruelty to animals in films. The recent film to pique the minister was Shogun Films’ Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya starring Arvind Swami and Manisha Koirala in the lead.
Producer R Mohan gave reasonable explanation to the objections raised by the minister when a representative of the SPCA met him. But the answers seem not to have satisfied the minister.

MANEKA’S NEW STRICTURES * No wild animals can be used to entertain * No showing elephant or monkeys doing tricks * Wild birds like parrots, bulbuls and mynahs cannot be shown in captivity * Any reference to hunting of animals or any act depicting them is illegal * Using snakes in any form or deer/rabbits in captivity is ‘illegal’. * Whipping of horses, buffaloes, bullocks to be banned. * Throwing birds, or showing them fluttering around, or causing chicken to flap their wings are illegal. * Showing acquarium being smashed with fish falling out is intolerable. * Showing rabbits or any other animal being chased or harmed by dogs is ‘illegal.’ These are just a few of the minister’s recommendations, as the list runs long and makes little sense.

The war of nerves between the minister and the film industry seems to go on with no logical conclusion in sight. The film Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya had applied for a censor certificate on May 26, and is yet to be cleared despite the fact that the CBFC chairperson herself and the committee concerned have seen it. This is a glaring example of how whims and fantasies of powerful elements puts a question mark on the crores invested in the making of films.

The most disturbing part of the recent communication between he minister and the CBFC chairperson is a new set of ‘guidelines’ which the minister feels has to be strictly adhered to by filmmakers. If one goes by the guidelines (see Box) it will be highly impossible for anyone to make a film wherein there is a single frame showing an animal.

In her letter to the CBFC chairperson, she stipulates that these general guidelines have to be followed while certifying films. She cites the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 to justify her crusade.

Film producers wonder whether the strictures apply to the Hindi film industry alone. It’s a different matter altogether that no such rule or clause exists that ought to be strictly adhered to while making a film.

The CBFC chairperson has sent the copy of Maneka Gandhi’s letter to all the producers’ associations, to keep them abreast of the new ‘guidelines’ the CBFC may put into effect. Asha Parekh states in her letter to the associations that the letter by Gandhi is self-explanatory for the information and guidance of the film industry.

The Association of Motion Pictures and Television Programme Producers (AMPTPP) has strongly condemned the guidelines and has decided to take the minister head on. They have sent a strongly worded letter addressed to the union I&B minister, Arun Jaitley, drawing attention to the latest ‘concerns’ of his fellow minister, and to find an amicable solution to the imbroglio.

Pahlaj Nihalani, president of AMPTPP, in his letter states that animals used in the shooting of films are treated more humanely than animals in the forest, zoos and national parks because these animals are highly trained, well paid and treated lavishly like talented artistes.

To say that these animals are tortured is a figment of the animal rights activists’ fertile imagination, he says. He asks the minister why the activists make noise only about films and what about the captivity of animals in zoos, circus and markets where they are mercilessly sold and buthchered.

Nihalani insists Gandhi has no connection with the CBFC and her pronouncements on Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya will ensure that the CBFC views the film with pre-conceived notions and thereby making sure that the producer is subjected to harrassment.