‘Vishwaroopam`: Plan to set up a panel to look into Cinematograph Act, says I&B Minister

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: With the controversy over Kamal Hassan starrer `Vishwaroopam` intensifying, Union Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Manish Tewari on Thursday reiterated that there was a need to revisit the Cinematograph Act. Addressing a press briefing in the national capital Tewari said, “We are planning to constitute a panel to look into the Cinematograph Act. I have asked the I&B Secretary to look as to what extent the state governments can raise objections to the decisions taken by the CBFC, even if there are genuine concerns.” The I&B Minister had in the morning tweeted "Time-cinematographic act revisited to ensure implementational integrity (of) certification decisions, otherwise each state would be its own censor (board)." Tewari had yesterday stated that states should implement the decisions of the Censor Board regarding screening of films but refrained from commenting on `Vishwaroopam`, saying the matter was in court. "Since the High Court has once again taken the matter within its purview, it would be inappropriate to comment on it. We would allow the High court to take cognisance of the matter holistically and come to whatever conclusion it considers appropriate. Because it`s been a tradition that we do not comment on matters which are sub-judice," Tewari had said. “Whatever the Tamil Nadu government has to say, it should do so in the court because the decision is in the hands of the court now. If they had any information on the basis of which they took the decision (to ban ‘Vishwaroopam’), they must approach the courts to put forth their views now. Several questions were raised related to the ‘Vishwaroopm’ case and several other movies earlier which we had to pay heed to so we decided to form a committee to handle the issue,” Tewari said today. “There is a need to be patient and at this point I can’t say any more than this,” said Tewari in his statement. Haasan yesterday suffered a setback as the Madras high Court stayed the screening of ‘Vishwaroopam’.