Question

Is Censorship necessary in Entertainment Industry?

Answer 1

As the title suggests, censorship is a necessary evil, but that doesn't negate the freedom of speech and expression completely. The chief problem is that it seems that Censor Board doesn't look into alternative options before banning a film and fails to take into account a lot of mitigating factors involved in the making of the film. While public interest needs to be protected, private interest of the parties involved cannot absolutely be forgotten. Right from the script to music, to production and advertising, a lot of effort and money has gone into films which when banned enormously impacts the economic status of people involved, which in turn comes under the ambit of their fundamental right of livelihood. This repeated pattern of Board or Government banning or halting the release of movies, thereby consequently an appeal being filed to High Courts and Supreme Court where the ban is lifted is getting quite tedious. Since the scope of grounds are quite wide it calls for some stringent measures to be taken by authorities, to clarify the objectivity with which a film must be granted a certificate. The struggle between the necessity of censorship and freedom of speech must be met with a right balance.