Pankaj Butalia on the Censor Board & Shyam Benegal’s ‘Sloppy Job’

‘Haider’ did not lead to violence in Kashmir. In fact, films have no long-term impact on society, says the filmmaker.

Documentary filmmaker Pankaj Butalia engaged with The Quint’s viewers on Facebook Live. (Photo altered by The Quint)

Speaking about his struggle to release Textures of Loss, a documentary portraying the human side of the border conflicts in Kashmir, Pankaj Butalia claims “the censor board was as erratic under liberals like Leela Samson as it is under Pahlaj Nihalani.”

Engaging with The Quint’s viewers over a Facebook Live, the documentary filmmaker weighed in on the Udta Punjab controversy and spoke about the correlation, or the lack of, between films and society.

Film, art and literature have no impact on society. Has the situation in Kashmir worsened because of <i>Haider</i>? Has the Indian Army become disillusioned? Of course not. Why then, should we cut films fearing the long term impact on the society, of which there is no study, no proof.

Talking about the Shyam Benegal Committee’s recommendations to overhaul the Censor Board of Film Certification, Pankaj Butalia ridiculed the proposal to apply for clearance under a specific certificate.

“Rejections will be based on broadly defined tenets under Section 5b(1) of the Cinematograph Act 1952. His solution is to go to court. It’s a sloppily done job,” says the documentary filmmaker.

Watch excerpts from the conversation.

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Udta Punjab: Readers Respond to Our FB Live With Pankaj Butalia