The Central Board of Film Certification’s (CBFC) decision to move film certification online has created confusion and chaos in Kollywood. The online shift, which took place early last month (May 2017), has created cases where the process has caused further delay in the certification process, with producers even complaining about its complicated nature. Information & Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu, at the time of the launch of the online film certification system, ‘E-Cinepramaan’, said it was done with an aim to control corruption and promote clean cinema.
A transparent system
A CBFC spokesperson says, “It has taken us more than a year to get the details in place before going digital. Now, all films have to be censored online, which completely eliminates corruption and possibilities of producers jumping the queue to get their films certified. The objective of applying for film censorship online is to bring about transparency and to eliminate corruption in issuing film certificates.”
The CBFC spokesperson said in case of feature films, the detailed script needs to be uploaded online, while for short films (less than 10 minutes in duration), the entire content can be uploaded on the website, along with the application. For full-length films, the film needs to be screened by the producer only once in front of the examining committee. The producer is supposed to register only once using his or her Aadhaar card and other authentication documents, and only registered users can submit their projects for certification.
This led to chaos in Kollywood, as some producers did not have an Aadhaar card.
Teething issues
G Dhananjayan, producer and Founder-Dean of BOFTA Film Institute, says, “Till April 2017, the censor process was manual. The new online system has some teething problems. When the registration is done, the One Time Password (OTP) goes to the mobile number given in the Aadhaar Card, and if that number is no longer in use, then the application is not processed. If the application is rejected by either the regional or central office, the process has to be repeated from the beginning . Hence, there is considerable delay in censoring, as the process is new. The CBFC must streamline the online registration process, or make it simple for the producers to follow.”
A Kollywood insider adds, “The real truth is that going online has caused havoc, as there were several people who were making films in benami names, with no Aadhaar cards or other documentation. A notice has been received by one of the producers for making a ₹6 crore film without a PAN card, while another producer managed to censor his ₹12 crore film, even as he continues to avail of LPG subsidy meant for weaker sections of society. A majority of producers have a lot to hide regarding their finances and funding. This will bring all that to light.” The positive aspect of applying for censorship online far outweighs the negatives. The number of films getting censored may come down, as the source of funding becomes clear. It also means that one cannot jump the queue to get their film censored using money or political influence.
