Vikram Bhatt talks about evolution of CBFC, credits maturity of audience for board's leniency
Mumbai, June 19
Director Vikram Bhatt, who is receiving a lot of positive response to his recently released film 'Haunted 3D', has spoken up on the evolution of the CBFC.
Vikram spoke with IANS during the promotions of 'Haunted 3D' in the city, and said that by the early aughts. A lot was happening concurrently in India and globally in the early 2000s, the dot com bubble burst, the maturation of India's Economic Policy of Liberalization, and more foreign influence trickling as a consequence. Naturally with society, the entertainment sphere was witnessing a change in undercurrents.
He told IANS, "The bodies like the CBFC and the government were becoming more and more mature and lenient. And they were, as far as the film was considered adult, they were more and more agreeable for you to make different films, try different films. I don't think a film like 'Kasoor' would have passed in the 80s, 70s, 80s. I think it would have definitely hit a roadblock. The heroine is being seduced by the villain and she's sleeping with him and then is blaming herself".
He further mentioned, "The audiences had matured to a point where they wouldn't call her names for sleeping with a man who had been accused of killing his wife. So I think the audience actually decides what film you make. And the more mature and accepting an audience gets, the happier the filmmaker is".
Meanwhile, 'Haunted 3D' stars Mimoh Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Shruti Prakash, Gaurav Bajpai, Praneet Bhatt and Hemant Pandey. The film promises an upgraded 3D experience using the newest technology to heighten every scare, making the horror more immersive.
The film is currently playing in cinemas.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I remember watching 'Kasoor' years ago and thinking how bold it was for its time. Vikram Bhatt has always made films that push boundaries. But I think the real credit goes to the audience - we've moved past judging characters' moral choices on screen. Though I wish the CBFC would be equally lenient on social issue films, not just thrillers and horror.
This is an interesting take. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I've seen Bollywood evolve from melodramatic censorship to bolder storytelling. Vikram Bhatt is right - the liberalization of the 90s changed everything. But I'm not sure if increased leniency is always good. Quality has sometimes dropped because filmmakers think 'bold' means 'vulgar'. Need balance, like in the good old parallel cinema days. 🎬
As someone from the US who watches Indian films, I find this evolution fascinating. The CBFC used to be infamous for cuts, but now Indian cinema is more globally competitive. Vikram Bhatt's observation about audience maturity is spot-on - the same story that would have caused outrage in the 70s is now just a normal plot point. Great to see creative freedom expanding! 👏
Vikram Bhatt makes valid points, but I think the CBFC still has a long way to go. We still see unnecessary cuts in films that deal with sexuality or political themes. The audience is definitely more mature, but the board seems to trust us only selectively. 'Haunted 3D' might pass easily because it's a horror film - try making a film on caste or women's bodily autonomy and see their 'maturity'. 😕
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