MID-DAY (March 8, 2018)

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who headed a committee to take a holistic look at the functioning of the controversy-ridden Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC), says he is surprised that the government has not yet responded to the recommendations made by them.

"We haven't heard from the government at all. I am waiting for them to take a decision. We want to know if they are accepting only a part of the recommendations, or the entire [report]. At the moment, there is total silence," Benegal said.

"I am not shocked, rather surprised, because [earlier] they seemed to be keen [to implement changes]." Under the watch of former CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, several filmmakers complained of arbitrary objections and cuts demanded in their films. Following the complaints, the government constituted the Shyam Benegal-headed committee in January 2016 to suggest ways of revamping the board.

The committee, also including actor Kamal Haasan, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, ad man Piyush Pandey and film critic Bhawana Somaaya, submitted its report to the Information & Broadcasting Ministry in April 2016.