Benegal panel set to submit second part of reforms report next week

New Delhi: The Shyam Benegal panel is likely to submit the second part of its report on reforms in film certification process to the I&B ministry next week.

In the backdrop of censorship row over film Udta Punjab, Information and Broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley had yesterday said “some very radical changes” will be announced over the next few days.

The panel had on 26 April submitted the first part of its report in which it had emphasised that Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) should only be a certification body to categorize suitability of the film to audience groups on the basis of age and maturity barring some exceptions.

However, the committee had been given time till 20 June to submit its recommendation on issues relating to clearances to be obtained from the Animal Welfare Board under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and also matters related to depiction of smoking in films.

Speaking to PTI, Benegal said the report would be ready and submitted “well before 20 June which is the last date”.

He said that in relation to one of the two issues, panel members needed to travel to Chennai and that work has been done, and the other subject also would be included in the report in a couple of days.

The Benegal committee had got a two-month extension for submitting the first part of its report which is already being vigorously examined by the I&B ministry.

Jaitley had yesterday said that movie certification norms have to be liberal and “some very radical changes” will be announced over the next few days.

Apart from Benegal, the committee includes actor Kamal Haasan, filmmakers Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Gautam Ghose, adman Piyush Pandey, film critic Bhawana Somaaya and some officials.