Why the Censor Board Chief & Members quit + Their letter to previous Government

The Censor Board chief, Leela Samson, has quit. And then the entire Board members have also followed her steps. Reason? A new film titled MSG : Messenger of God, by a controversial religious leader who plays himself in the film. Not only that, according to reports, the Baba of MSG can cure AIDS, bring a dead man back to life, and so on. So why exactly did the Censor Board Chief and the members quit? Because going by the way the film was cleared, it made them completely useless.

The Tribunal has all the rights to clear a film which the Board objects to. But there is a protocol to be followed – how the film goes from where to where, who is informed, who is kept in the loop, the issues Board members had with the film, and many more. In the case, none of the guidelines were followed. Again, going by reports, seems the Board Chief wasn’t even kept in the loop about how things went. And the film quickly got a clearance. Pulling strings always works, right? Especially when there is a political connect and clout. In that scenario, the Censor Board chief really has no role to play. The Board members followed the same route soon.

Yes, they were appointed during the previous Government. But the members had major issues with the previous Government too, in terms of transparency and making the system better. Every Government tries to put their people at various capacities. The members had given many recommendations to make it better and more independent. But none of it was followed. Their letter sent to previous Government is also embedded. That issue was going on, and then the final nail in the coffin by this Government. All gone with the wind!

Hail Baba’s film! Hail Babas rule!

The Minister of State,

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Government of India

Shastri Bhavan

New Delhi

 

Respected Minister,

With this letter, we the undersigned are submitting our resignation from our position as Board Members of the Central Board of Film Certification with immediate effect.

The events that led to the Chairperson Ms. Leela Samson resigning from her position are merely the proverbial last straw. Since the time that we first occupied seats on the Board, we have been asking for some critical changes, which are imperative if the functioning of the CBFC has to be reformed. However, in spite of sending numerous recommendations and appeals, and having several meetings with the Secretaries and senior officials of the ministry, and even one with an earlier Minister, not a single positive step has been taken by the Ministry. We had also sent a letter to the then I & B Minister in December 2013 making several recommendations that would strengthen CBFC as an institution, and that we were willing to work on with the government. The earlier letter is attached to this mail. None of the recommendations that we made in that letter have been taken on board, and there has been no engagement with us on crucial issues that we were raising.

The Advisory Panel continues to be filled up with people of questionable credentials appointed directly by the Ministry, without taking the Board’s recommendations into account. No funds have been released for conducting orientation workshops for the panel members. Officers from other departments, who have no understanding or experience in cinema are appointed as officials. Furthermore, there are several positions in the regional offices that do not have regular appointments There has been no Board meeting for the last one year for us to discuss developments and make recommendations, as we were told that there are no funds to organize it! It seems that the CBFC Board is not required at all.

This Board has consistently attempted to make the certification process more uniform, transparent, consistent and sensitive to the freedom of filmmakers’ right to expression with responsibility. The struggle to do so has been extremely frustrating and disappointing.

It is our firm position that given the cavalier and dismissive manner in which the CBFC is treated by the government, it is impossible to perform this duty with even a modicum of efficacy or autonomy. We also object to the way in which the Chairperson has been treated by the Ministry which we feel has been humiliating for us all. This is not the way in which the head of an organization ought to be treated, and it is certainly not one that is conducive to any productive relationship.

We do hope that the new Board will find the government more responsive than we have.

With regards.

Ira Bhaskar

Lora Prabhu

Pankaj Sharma,

Rajeev Masand,

Sekharbabu Kancherla

Shaji Karun,

Shubhra Gupta,

T.G.Thyagarajan

And here is their letter to previous Government

View this document on Scribd

 

Ritesh Batra’s reply to FFI letter on Oscar Controversy

And here’s the latest one, and hopefully, the closing chapter in the ongoing Oscar controversy. Ritesh Batra, director of The Lunchbox, has replied to the FFI letter.

Dear Sir,
I just received your letter. Many industry stalwarts have made comments similar to mine but you sent the letter to me, a debutant filmmaker, but I am honoured and proud to speak for my film and team. If an apology is what you demand, you have it. Both you and the jury have my wholehearted apology.

There was no intent to hurt anyone, but rather to participate in the vigorous debate that this decision ignited in the public domain.

I sincerely hope that the annual reactions to our Academy selections from the national press, and this year from even the international press, prompt a new policy for the selection. Sir, please use your good offices to give us a transparent, objective process with a public and not a secret jury. It is a direct and humble request, not a criticism.

I have moved on from this debate to focus on more productive pursuits and I would encourage everyone to do the same. With much respect for your tough job.

Ritesh

—

Ritesh Batra

Writer/Director

@riteshbatra on Twitter

http://www.riteshbatra.com

Jiah Khan’s letter made public by her mother Rabia Khan

Jiah Khan’s death not only shocked everyone but in the last few days there have been various speculations surrounding it. Initially Police didn’t find any suicide letter. But now her mom Rabia Khan ‘claims’ to have found a note written by her. She has made this note public and so we are sharing it here.

It’s quite sad and heartbreaking stuff, especially for someone who has just twenty five year old. As they say, the real picture is not what you get to see on screen.

POTD : Sai Paranjpye’s offer letter to Ravi Baswani – No extra allowance!

Not sure if we can call it POTD but since we dont have something called Letter Of The Day, so here it goes. And like million times before, thanks to our bolly-pedia Pavan Jha again for the tip. made our day!

It’s a letter from Sai Paranjpye to Ravi Baswani. And though it mentions the title of the film as Dhuan Dhuan, seems it was re-named later as Chashme Buddoor. Can anyone confirm? Read on.

Aamir Khan’s letter to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on Copyright issue!

16^th Feb 2010.

To The Honorable Minister of HRD, Mr Kapil Sibal.

Dear Sir,

I would like to bring to your notice a number of articles which appeared in the media in the past few days.

One appeared on Sunday the 14^th of Feb in Mid Day, Mumbai, titled “Bollywood A-List Actor Allegedly Plots Copyright Amendment Sabotage”. (this article does not seem to be available on the net so I will send you a scanned copy by tomorrow), another appeared today 16^th of Feb again in the Mid Day http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2010/feb/160210-aamir-takes-on-javed-akhtar.htm  and the third appeared today, 16^th of Feb, in Mumbai Mirror.  http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=25&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=MMIR&mydateHid=16-02-2010&pubname=&edname=&publabel=MM.

(the links to the articles are attached for your reference).

Sir, it seems to me that there is an attempt by certain people to attack me in public by printing lies about me, thereby turning the attention away from a genuine debate about copyright issues.

I am grateful to you for inviting me to be part of a committee to discuss the various issues regarding amendments to the Copyright Act. However in light of these public attacks on me I don’t think I am comfortable to be part of this committee.

Sir, I take great pride in my honesty and integrity, and attach an enormous amount of value to my sense of justice and fair play. Monetary achievements have never excited me. If they had, I would have acted in many more than one film a year, thereby being financially much richer than I currently am. Had I been driven by monetary achievements I would not have produced films that challenge the mainstream and break new ground, films like Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par and Peepli Live, that most producers would hesitate to produce.

I believe that what I have earned is the love and respect of my colleagues and my audience. And this I have done through my work and through the manner in which I work. This is why such public attacks are most damaging to me emotionally and leave me crippled.

In the past 26 years of my involvement with the film industry I may have made mistakes, but never have I knowingly been dishonest or unfair in my dealings, whether as an assistant director, actor, producer or director.

I feel I have a lot to contribute to the ongoing debate but I cannot make any meaningful contribution in this atmosphere. Aggression of this type leaves me feeling very disillusioned and sad and I am unable to function.

Therefore I request you to accept my resignation from this committee and please appoint another person in my place.

I believe that amendments to the Copyright Act are long overdue and I am so happy that a person like you is spearheading this movement. I believe that the changes that you are bringing about in the sphere of education are so dynamic, progressive and positive, that I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you will do the same in the field of copyright.

Yours sincerely,

Aamir Khan.  

(PS – Writer-director Saket Chaudhary who was also present during the meeting have been tweeting that the reports have been mostly Mid-Day/Mirror made! It was interesting discussion where every party put out their views strongly. Its the issue that matters, not the faces who are involved.)

And if you are intersted to know more about this intiative by HRD, click here.

WTF : Bachchan’s love letter to media – all it took was one home production hit & everything changed!

Surprise! surprise! Someone has suddenly found a new love. Till yesterday he had a favourite hobby and every night before going to bed, he used to spare time and space for it. Just go to his blog and you can read all those lovely words dedicated to the hobby called media-bashing. Even the film Paa wasnt spared, though there was no sense to it.

Now that his home production Paa has managed to get some good reviews and making money at the box office, he has mailed love letters to media persons working in various newspapers, magazines, channels and portals, thanking them for their support and appreciation. All signed by him. Guess what happened to that good old hobby!!??? Though we cant reveal the person’s name but a good soul mailed us a copy of the letter. Have a look.

If you cant read the text of the letter, it says….

My Dear XXX,

I am writing to express my deepest gratitude towards you and your prestigious XXX for giving our film “PAA” support and appreciation.

The magnanimous affection demonstrated by the media has been most overwhelming. Our company and we wish to express our gratitude for this kind gesture.

                                                                     With warm regards

                                                                     Amitabh Bachchan

                                                                    Abhishek Bachchan 

Not very very long ago, the same Amitabh Bachchan wrote these lines on his blog…

You mention in your article under reference that I should not forget that the media has had a distinct hand in my stardom. Ho ! Ho Ho ! … now we are all laughing !

Firstly, I have never ever accepted or believed in this media created epithet of stardom or any other ‘dom’. And secondly, for 18 years under the ban of the media, Amitabh Bachchan ‘the actor’ that you admire, had his most successful run at the box office.  So get off your high horse and smell the dung. Media will be incapable of making or breaking an actor. Only the masses have that strength and you are still very far away from that criteria.

You can read the full post here. This was in reply to Abhijit Mazumder’s column in Mid-day.

Dear Mr Bachchan,

What happened ? Is the letter a mistake ? Why this change in stand suddenly ? Or is this a fake love letter ? An actor of your calibre surely knows how to fake it, and fake it well.

MFC

BTW, Big B’s next release Rann directed by Ram Gopal Varma also promises to expose the media. The remote controlled country! And he is the same actor who created that Patna based stupid monster SKJ, whose claim to fame is false reports, a mention by Bachchan on his show Kaun Banega Crorepati and Sonu Nigam! Talk about corrupting the media. Ho Ho Ho…now we are all laughing!