3 Things CBFC's 'Censorship raj', mineral exploration, and Bihar's final voter list
Oct 1, 2025
Jay Mazoomdaar, an investigative journalist for The Indian Express, reveals the inner workings of the Central Board of Film Certification, highlighting allegations of it being operated like a one-man show and increasing ideological pressures in censorship. Anjali Marar, also from The Indian Express, discusses India's ambitions in deep-sea resource mining, particularly the recent contract for exploring polymetallic sulphides at the Carlsberg Ridge, and the strategic significance of these minerals. The podcast wraps with insights on Bihar's voter list revisions.
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Certification vs. Censorship
- The CBFC's role is certification on paper but has functioned as censorship in practice for decades.
- Jay Mazoomdaar shows the board often applies subjective moral grounds and broad terms like "national interest" to demand cuts.
Board Conflicts and Film Renaming
- Jay recounts episodes where board members resigned after being overruled, and later boards imposed a "Sanskrit Raj."
- He details filmmakers facing re-titling and cuts like Sexy Durga becoming Durga and Janki being asked to change.
Process Enables Subjective Control
- The CBFC process uses regional officers and a large advisor pool but relies on subjective committee judgments.
- Abolition of the appellate authority forces filmmakers to go to costly, slow high courts, delaying releases.