CBFC seeks opinion on ad films from advocates

KOLKATA: Four pro-Citizenship Amendment Act ( CAA ) ad films have got stuck at the regional office of the Central Board of Film Certification ( CBFC ) following directives by lawyers.Directed and produced by Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, the ads were submitted for certification in December. They were screened at CBFC’s Kolkata office last week. But the examination report is still pending.“Certifying ads on any act needs caution,” said a CBFC source. “The same caution is being exercised in this case, too. Hence, legal opinion and constant consultation with the CBFC headquarters is a must. The chairperson is currently out of the country and hence, it will take a while before any call is taken.”TOI got in touch with regional officer Partho Ghosh, but he refused comment.Various Bengali stage and serial actors have acted in the four pro-CAA ads, said Chauduri. “I had made the ads after the act was passed, and applied for CBFC certification so that they could be aired on television,” she said. The first ad, she added, shows a Muslim family, where the mother is asking the daughter whether they have to “return to Bangladesh”. The daughter, in return, says they are residents of this country and CAA would give them Indian citizenship. The second ad shows six people from different religions. “It shows how Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured they get citizenship,” the filmmaker said.The third ad shows Hindus who are worried about not having documents, and insists that showing documents is not mandatory for CAA. The fourth shows a conversation between a Hindu and a Muslim person.“The background has anti-CAA protests, where people are burning buses and trains. In this ad, I show that Muslims are also supporting CAA,” Chaudhuri said.TOI came to know that CBFC had invited two city advocates to seek their “expert opinion” on the ads. Advocate Gopal Mandal said he watched the films last week and had accordingly given his suggestions. “The second ad mentions people from six different religions who claim they are Indians after CAA. Legally speaking, CAA gives citizenship to Jains, Parsis, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jews and Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. But those of these communities from other countries have not been given this citizenship right. So, to use a blanket term based on religious identities is problematic,” Mandal said.Observations have been made regarding the third ad, too. “One dialogues says: ‘Amader naki Bangladeshe pathaibo (We will be sent to Bangladesh)’. But the cinematography act doesn’t allow mention of deportation to Bangladesh in this context. The dialogue could just mention that they might have to leave the country. But mentioning Bangladesh specifically might create problems,” Mandal said, adding that changes were also required for the fourth ad, which talks about anti-CAA violence. “Those who burn trams and buses are offenders. But this offence can’t be reason for taking away their citizenship.”Chaudhuri is yet to be officially informed about these suggestions. “In December, I was told CBFC would not be able to examine the ads before January 5. When they were dilly-dallying a lot, I met the regional officer, who said he needed to speak to the CBFC chairperson to figure out whether such an ad can be done. After permission, it was examined last week. Yet, when I go online I find a ‘pending’ status for the examination report,” she said. This delay in communication, she said, was “disappointing”. “This was the right time to show these ads, since so many anti-CAA protests are on. It is not that CBFC doesn’t want to clear the ad. But I have a feeling that they are scared to clear it here,” she said.