Bombay HC blasts CBFC; says it has no 'intellectual morality' to decide what people should watch

"Are you ostriches," an angry Bombay High Court bench Friday asked censor board for refusing to issue a universal (U) certificate to a children's film and asserted board will "t decide what one wants to watch and see".

In strongly-worded observations, a division bench of justices S C Dharmhikari and Gautam Patel also said that it may have to redefine role of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) entirely as latter thinks that it was "only one with an iota of intelligence to decide for everyone".

bench was hearing a petition filed by Children's Film Society (CFS), India, seeking directions to CBFC tribunal to hear its plea to issue universal certificate to its film "Chidiakhana".

In January, board issued universal/ult (U/A) certificate to film, owing to an abusive word and a particular scene in it. Society has claimed that film is meant for children and is to be screened in schools. It said it is willing to remove two objections.

bench said CBFC, by asking for such scenes to be deleted in films, was pretending that se issues do t exist.

"Are you (CBFC) ostriches? Put your he in sand and pretend something does t exist," Justice Patel said.

CBFC Friday told court that it has laid down certain conditions and if those are fulfilled n film will be given 'U/A' certificate. Irked with this, high court asked how can board say that it will give 'U/A' certificate irrespective of wher scene and abusive word is deleted.

"We actually wonder if CBFC officials have children of ir own. You (CBFC) are a certification board and t a censor board. You will t decide what one wants to watch and see," Justice Patel said.

"body has given you (CBFC) intellectual morality and authority to decide what one wants to watch and see," he ded. bench furr said that world was changing and so was art of storytelling.

"Looks like we may have to redefine your (CBFC) role entirely. You (CBFC) are forming an opinion that whole population is infantile and imbecile and you are only one with an iota of intelligence to decide for everyone," Justice Patel said.

court said when a children's film shows or speaks about issues like racism, discrimination, child labour and drug abuse, n it is better to use films to explain se issues to children. "How else does one show and explain se issues to a child? Is it t better to show such films to child and explain that this is what happens and this is wrong," Justice Patel said.

bench directed CBFC's Regional Officer to file an affidavit elaborating and outlining board's policy while certifying children's films. It has posted petition for furr hearing on August 5.

According to petition, CBFC h sought for an abusive word to be silenced and deletion of a scene which board found offensive. film "Chidiakhana" tells story of a boy from Bihar, who moves to Mumbai to pursue his dream of playing football.