Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore and I&B Secretary Sunil Arora on Saturday held wide ranging interaction with the recently constituted Shyam Benegal Committee in Mumbai.<br/><br/>The panel constituted on January 1 to recommend broad guidelines for certification of films by the Censor Board is to submit its report in two months.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports, Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the film certification guidelines need contemporary interpretation and should be as non discretionary as possible.<br/><br/>While addressing the new panel in Mumbai he said that in most countries there is a mechanism for certifying films and documentaries, but it has to be ensured that in doing so, artistic creativity and freedom do not get curtailed.<br/><br/>Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore who was also present at the meeting expressed confidence that the committee would provide a holistic framework for interpretation of the provisions of Cinematograph Act and Rules.<br/><br/>Committee Chief Shyam Benegal said that there is a need to move towards a new system of grading films in terms of age, maturity, sensibility and sensitivity instead of censorship.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley today said that the film certification guidelines need contemporary interpretation and should be as non discretionary as possible. <br/><br/>He further said in most countries there is a mechanism for certifying films and documentaries, but it has to be ensured that in doing so, artistic creativity and freedom do not get curtailed.<br/><br/>Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore was also present, during the wide ranging interaction with the Benegal panel.<br/><br/>The panel is constituted on January 1 to recommend broad guidelines for certification of films by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), commonly known as Censor Board and it is to submit its report in two months.<br/><br/>Rathore expressed confidence that the committee would provide a holistic framework for interpretation of the provisions of Cinematograph Act and Rules for the benefit of the chairperson and other members of the CBFC Screening Committee.<br/><br/><br/>Shyam Benegal said there is a need to move towards a new system of grading films in terms of age, maturity, sensibility and sensitivity instead of censorship.<br/><br/>Other committee members, noted filmmaker Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, advertising and communication expert Piyush Pandey, film journalist and critic Bhawana Somayaa, NFDC Managing Director Nina Lath Gupta and Joint Secretary, Films, Sanjay Murthy were also present.