Watch: Pahlaj Nihalani says he was wrongly targeted over Spectre cuts in exclusive interview

Amidst huge uproar, that was caused due to the Censor Board’s decision of chopping off fifty percent of the kissing scene from Spectre, we met with the Censor Board chief for an exclusive interview with Firstpost and discussed censorship in the 21st century India and the reforms that the board plans to bring about.

He thinks he has been targeted for all the wrong reasons while he himself understands the producers and directors of today as he has been one too. When asked about how the committee certifies a film, he says “Its not just me but a full proof committee that consists of four panel members, who decide; in my tenure here 2125 films have been certified, that too within just 8 months”.

While Indian cinema has evolved over the years, our Censor Board still happens to follow an age old norm to rate films and is still restricted to U, U/A, A set of certifications.

We still follow the 1952 Cinematograph Act which has only been amended thrice till now and hasn’t managed to keep up with time and the thinking of today’s India.

Nihalani said he has made a proposal to the government of a PG13 like system of film ratings that is followed in Hollywood. “It will be altered to meet our needs and will have a age 12, age 12 +, ages 15 & above and similar ratings for other ages as well, rather than having just Adult and U/A or U certifications”

While this idea sounds like a reform, it comes with its own kind of a disclaimer, one that states that only Nihalani has proposed it and it will not be amended till all the committee members back the reform and then the government will react upon it, after a vote.