Now censorship on television?

Mumbai: Far from abolishing film censorship, the Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting is actually considering a more stringent monitoring agency to channelise and restrain the free flow of content on the home-viewing medium.

While the CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani refrained from discussing the I&B's plans to monitor content on television, he lashed out hard at what he considers the free flow of muck into homes. 

"Television soaps, reality shows and crime shows are crossing all limits. Shows like Crime Petrol and Savdhan India show the most gruesome and heinous crimes in graphic detail. 

"Real-life people are named in the fictional recreation of crime stories.Women are raped in incestuous attacks, housewives and minor girls are shown to be violated. If the same content was shown in any film we at the CBFC would have to clamp down heavily on the content," he said.

Nihalani feels restrictions must be imposed on the inflow of software on television before it's too late. 

"Why are filmmakers required to get a new censor certification for their films to be shown on television when all the rest of content made specially for television gets to go on air unchecked? This free flow of content in television must stop. It's affecting the natural psychological development of young minds. Parents are worried," he said.

By Subhash k Jha