The censor boards of India, Nepal and Bangladesh remain more powerful than they should be.
In an attempt to 'clean up' or 'maintain law and order', governments across Southasia are cracking down on films. Because of their mass appeal and easy accessibility, feature films have been bearing the brunt of this censorship, while such stringent standards are not generally applied to documentary films, which have thus far not been as accessible to the mass public. But that will not last for long. Documentaries must be removed from within the power of official censorship regimes before the inevitable crackdowns begin. Today, Southasian docu-makers are asking that the rules that apply to them be different from the ones for feature films. More importantly, they propose that the power of censor boards to cut their work be taken away – if such bodies must exist, critics suggest, they should function more as forums to grant certification.
Certainly not all films in Southasia have slipped under the censor's nose, a fact that only strengthens critics' concerns. After the 2002 Gujarat carnage, filmmaker Rakesh Sharma arrived in Gujarat and started talking to victims and eyewitnesses of the violence that followed the train burning incident in Godhra. For over a year, he interviewed people from both the Hindu and Muslim communities about the events. The result was his 2003 documentary Final Solution, a graphic portrayal of hate politics investigating the aftermath of the anti-Muslim carnage. The film also criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for not doing anything to stop the violence, accusing him of inciting communal hatred. When the feature-length documentary was ready for exhibition, India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) banned it. According to the body, the film would promote communal disharmony among Hindus and Muslims, by presenting the violence in Gujarat in a manner likely to arouse clashes. "State security is jeopardised and public order is endangered if this film is shown," said the CBFC, refusing to certify the work under India's Cinematography Act of 1952. "When it is judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impact, it is not advisable to be exhibited."
Protesting the ban, Sharma distributed 10,000 free copies in India through a 'get-a-free-copy-only-if-you-promise-to-make-five-pirate-copies' campaign. Subscribers of various journals got free copies with their new issue, and 'protest screenings' were held all over the country. Indian filmmakers came together in support, audiences sent letters of protest directly to the Information Ministry in New Delhi, and an online petition was circulated. None of this, however, had the desired effect of getting the ban lifted. Indeed, at the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) in 2004, the Indian government introduced a new clause that required all Indian films to obtain a censorship certificate. Foreign films were exempt. Finally, when 257 filmmakers united and agreed to boycott the event, the clause was withdrawn.