CBFC's words list: Bollywood film-makers, senior functionaries of I&B Ministry hold meeting

NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of a controversy over a list issued by the Central Board for Film Certification ( CBFC) banning 'objectionable words' which was later held back, leading Bollywood film-makers today met senior functionaries of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Officials said that a variety of issues ranging from removing bottlenecks for the film industry, creation of a single-window clearance system and apprehensions about moral policing, were discussed.

In the meeting in which Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore, Secretary Bimal Julka and film-makers, including Vikram Bhatt, Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bhardwaj, BJP MP and actor Vinod Khanna, were present, it was decided that there would be regular interactions between the Ministry and the film-makers.

Minister of State for Urban Development Babul Supriyo, who has been a playback singer in many films, also attended the meeting.

Rathore later said that a range of issues relating to the film industry were discussed.

"Recently there was diktat of the Censor Board. We were quite disturbed as there should be certification and censoring is redundant....The Minister gave us confidence that we will have the freedom to make good films with responsibility," film-maker Mukesh Bhatt told reporters after the meeting.

"Every three months we are going to have this interface with the government and work together rather than always having this difference between us....We are all leaving very happy from here," Anurag Kashyap said.