NEW DELHI: Less than a month in office Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani waded into controversy recently ordering that a list of 36 Hindi and English cuss words be banned from films. The list sent to officials from the Central Board of Film Certification CBFC ) across the country also ordered deletion of “violence against women”, double-meaning words, ban on the use of word Bombay and ban on glorifying bloodshed. Filmmakers have acted adversely to the order with Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit leading the charge by calling the order “murder” of creativity.Pandit told TOI that film industry representatives were planning to take the matter up with the I&B ministry.The order says,”It has been noticed that some of the objectional/abusive words are not still deleted from the films...All regional officers are directed to allow such words in any category of the certificate. This is applicable to regional language films as well (sic).” Though the order says that such words or expressions will not be allowed in any category of certification, Nihalani himself has clarified that it depended on the context and the film could get an adult certificate too.Pandit told TOI that film industry representatives were planning to take the matter up with the I&B ministry.Predictably the move has not gone down well with the film industry. Not only does it act as interference in the creative process but filmmakers say that it could affect the film’s commercial success. A film denied a universal certificate cannot be shown on television with restrictions placed on its screenings.Reacting against the decision Pandit said,”As a filmmaker & CBFC board member I do not endorse the list issued by the chairperson on words not to be used in films. I was not consulted. Does the CBFC chairperson endorse other bad words which are not in this list can be used in the films? This is against the freedom and creative liberty of a filmmaker. If I am portraying the character of Dawood in my film, he will use the language as per his character and not what a saint would use.”Pandit said that he and other members planned to raise the issue in the Board’s meeting on February 23. “Film industry also plans to take up this issue with the I&B ministry...one person cannot dictate terms to the whole industry,” he said.The censor board chief’s orders are simply ridiculous. He seems to be labouring under the illusion that he must turn Indian films into a sort of celluloid version of Amar Chitra Katha. Protecting innocent children from exposure to cuss words and an excess of violence is one thing, to ban all of these from films altogether is to effectively kill the medium. We can only hope that better sense will prevail. If not, the government must step in.