Film board condemns allegations

Mumbai: Even as the stalemate over the release of filmmaker-actor Kamal Haasan’s movie “Vishwaroopam” ends, the Mumbai-based Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has come down heavily on the Advocate-General of Tamil Nadu Navaneetha Krishnan for his allegation that the film certification process in India was “a scam” and demanded an apology from him.

Alluding to the allegation made by Krishnan before the Madras High Court while opposing the “UA” certificate granted to the film ‘Vishwaroopam’, the CBFC said in a statement issued here on Sunday: “The Central Board of Film Certification would like to put it on record for all concerned that every action taken/procedure followed by CBFC for certifying Vishwaroopam or any other film has been done in accordance with the Act and Rules framed by the Parliament.

“The CBFC has been functioning since 1951 and there are judicial precedents upholding the legality of the certification process,” the statement said.

“In view of the above, the statement of Advocate-General Krishnan calling the certification process ‘a scam’ is baseless and irresponsible. The statement of Advocate Shri Sankarasubu calling the Board members ‘purchasable commodities’ is utterly reprehensible and grossly defamatory, “ the CBSC stated, as it demanded an apology from Krishnan and the state’s advocate Sankarasubu to issue an apology for the statements made by them.

Questioning the ‘UA’ certificate issued to ‘Vishwaroopam’, Krishnan had on Tuesday last contended in the Madras High court the certification of films itself was a “very big scam” and sought a probe into it by a law enforcing agency.

Arguing before Justice K Venkataraman of the high court, Krishnan had said the ‘UA’ certificate to Vishwaroopam was not issued by the Censor Board, but only by an Examining Committee not mandated by provisions of the Constitution.

Rejecting the charge, Additional Solicitor General Wilson said the certification was done by procedure. The application for certification came to the Censor Board on October 4, 2012, the film was viewed on October 8 and a show-cause notice to cut certain scenes sent on October 10, he had said.

The cuts were accepted and removed and the final certification given on October 17. Scenes to a running time of 1.08 minutes were cut, he said.