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Some observations on film censorship

Censorship in whatever form goes with culture and civilization of a country. Man from birth to death is subjected to one form or the other censorships. In the first instance, the family and then the religion impose most formidable censorship on man and his social conduct. Then there is the State sponsored censorship to meet the aspirations of films and other forms of public performances such as stage drama and musical shows which come under State censorship, are shaped and scheduled by political, social and moral perceptions in force in a country at the time.

Censorship of public performance came into force in Sri Lanka with the establishment of Public Performance Board on promulgation of the Public Performance Ordinance in 1912. So we have either enjoyed or experienced a near century censorship of all public performances. Universally, cinema was still in its infancy when censorship was introduced.


In India, besides censorship there is banning of films too

Censoring of films in our country prior to performance in public is impelled by social circumstance in order to ensure social stability and morality among the people and to maintain a degree of balance in civil society. Censorship may take different shades and grades such as total ban, restriction to certain age groups or unrestricted exhibition.

Whatever label each film is adorned with, it is given with a view to realize a particular purpose leading to meet the prevailing social, moral and cultural demands of the people in general.

However, measure of censorship could differ from country to country depending on the religious and political atmosphere and what was enforced from time to time. Even with different social and political standards prevailing in different countries, one thing remains unchanged; that is, the need for promotion of moral standards and elimination of tendency for crimes. A film may be released subject to removal of certain scenes or dialogues depending on how it affects the operation of criteria adopted by Government policy.

In Sri Lanka, films whether imported or local, for purpose of public exhibition are classified three broad categories. They are, the films certified as suitable for unrestricted exhibition, those which are restricted for adults only and those which are for unrestricted exhibition provided the children unaccompanied by an adult are debarred from seeing them. Outside this classification, there could be films subjected to total ban when imposition of restrictions alone will not bring out the expected result. However, there could be many films in which certain words, scenes are being required to be deleted before being screened for the public.

Certain guidelines are being given to the local producers to enlighten them on the content of a film which the Public Performance Board (PPB) would be compelled to take note of before issuing the certificate permitting the release of the film. The PPB bears a social responsibility to give effect to the goodliness set out by the Government to prevent any deleterious effect on the public who patronise the cinema.

Our closest neighbour and giant film producer India, broadly classifies films under four categories. All films for unrestricted exhibition are categorised under U while UA indicates films for which are suitable for those who are 12 years of age provided they are accompanied by an adult. Films which fall within the category A are for adults only.

Such films gives the audience the message that they include violence, sex and nudity with in the permissible boundaries and are necessitated by the demands of the plot. There are S-rated films which are further subdivided into different age groups.

The Supreme Court of India has decreed that since the motion picture commands a much greater influence on the public than the print media, censorship is essential. Within an enclosed atmosphere of semi-darkness the cinema can influence the process of thinking and joy of the spectators with much greater vigour unassailable or untraceable by any other medium of communication.

In India, besides censorship there is banning of films too depending on the sensibility of the material on focus in the film. On the other hand, censorship in India could be regional, based on parochial cultural or social issues. For instance,

Parzania a film based on genocide in Gujarat was banned in the State of Gujarat while it had a tremendous run in the rest of India. To move a step further, the Hindu fundamentalists did not allow Deepa Mehtha's Water being shot in India because it reflected poorly on the young and old widows of India, Another film, Traffic Signals was banned for two months in Himal Pradesh for use using the word 'kinnar' to identify eunuchs. Thus censorship appears to have been taken over by the masses as well. Classification of films in Malaysia is somewhat on a different plane. They are categorised in the first round as those for approval without editing, approval subject to editing and no approval at all. In the second round U-certificate for unrestricted exhibition is given to those films which do not portray sex, violence, terror and those which activate pressure on religion or society. Apart from that, there are a few more categories restricting view to different age groups.

In England, after central classification of films, if necessary the countries could review them and question the decision of the centre. Central to classification of films is on the basis of age groups. For instance, those over 4 years of age, those who are 12 years and above, 15 years and above 18 years etc. Those films which are rated for adults should be screened only in theatres with a special licence authorising screening of such films.

Classification of films for exhibition in the USA is such as restricted, unrestricted and others. These categories are further sub-divided into several groups such as G for all spectators, PG for those children who accompany their parents. Films falling under category NC are for all those who are under 17 years of age. Furthermore, there are 6 more categories such as NR, MGP, SMA, K etc.

Classification of films for public exhibition in FR France too, comes under a similar categorization with those for unrestricted exhibition, those films which are prohibited for children under 12, under 16 and 18 years. The films portraying violence and sex are categorised as X for which a higher admission fee is charged and screening is restricted to some selected theatres only.

Similar classifications are found in certain other countries such as Germany, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Philippines etc. too with slight variations in division into various groups based on age.

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