After Udta Punjab, CBFC scans music videos

After the epic battle over Udta Punjab, which was criticised by the Central Board of Film Certification for the generous use of abuses, glorification of drug use, and setting it all in poll-bound Punjab, the Board is now facing similar problems with music videos.

Though the censors have rejected certification to several music videos because of an overdose of sex, violence and drugs, or have decided to chop off the “objectionable” bits, there is a sense of panic as these offending videos are getting posted on social media platforms and YouTube without certification or cuts, and can be accessed by anyone easily.

Sources said that over the past few weeks Case Bolde, Vaardaat, Asle Da Masla, Knock Knock, Tihar Jail and Coke Di Botal are some of the videos that have come under the scanner of the Censor Board, while several videos that have been certified as U/A and are being telecast on music and entertainment channels throughout the day have offensive words like “daru ke keede”, “talli”, “Punjabi shit”, “daru on the rocks”, “goli shotgun”.

It is to clear this double-stand within the censor board of what is and what isn’t “anti social” that tkhe Information & Broadcasting ministry appointed the Shyam Benegal committee which has recommended that the chopping powers of CBFC be curtailed. The Censor Board should only be a certification body, it has recommended.

With the committee’s report still under consideration, each film and music video will, it seems have to fight its own battle.