By Harsha Man Maharjan
According to an amendment in Motion Picture (Production, Exhibition and
Distribution) Rules, 2057 (2000 A.D.) in 2010, Nepal Film Censor Board has to rate movies in
four categories Universal (U), Parental Guide (PG), Special (S) and Adult (A),
but the board is still scissoring scenes and showing paternalistic attitude to
film makers. This is evident from the list of ratings this board gave to movies
both Nepali and foreign during few months (15 june-6 September 2012).
This is the first time that the Ministry of Information and
Communication has made public such kind of information. This is good for public
and the board. I think it makes decisions of the board transparent. And this is
good symptom for future.
But it has helped us to judge the rating system. The list
contains ratings of 45 movies and informs about the cuts in movies. These
ratings show that the board has shown concern on ‘vulgarity’. Two examples are
interesting. The board has cut a kissing sing in a song in Indian movie Raaz-3. Yet the board has rated it ‘A’.
Similarly the board has muted some words like ‘randi’ or whore and ‘saman’
(thing) and bed scene was shorten in Nepali movie Bindas which was criticized in Nepali media for its nudity. Yet the
movie got adult certificate.
It is interesting that the issue the board cares a lot is
sex in cinema. But the board members are forgetting that Nepali society is
gradually becoming open in case of sexual issues. There are semi pornographic
weeklies pandering racy contents. The Internet, where pornographic content is a
click way, is penetrating in our life.
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