Attention Filmmakers! Censor Board will be More Strict on Usage of Animals

If you are going to use animals in your films, this news is of great importance for you. Now onwards Censor Board is going to be tougher on animal welfare issues.

Animal activist Maneka Gandhi has sent a letter to Ambika Soni (Information & Broadcasting Minister) regarding animals issues. Mrs. Gandhi wrote in her letter dated 22nd March, 2012 that film industry was 'making a fool' of the Animal welfare Board of India (AWBI). She stated in her letter, "They (the producers) send a script but will not mention animal activity in India or will give wrong activity. Then when the film is shot they send the CD for approval to the AWBI without the schemes involving animals in it. The AWBI gives the NOC (No Objection Certificate) on the basis of the CD. The producer then reinstates the scenes and goes to the censor board with the NOC. These scenes are usually very violent. The Censor Board, instead of questioning these scenes which are blatantly cruel, simply take it for granted that they have an NOC and pass the film." Her letter gives example of ' Housefull 2 ' in which Akshay Kumar is shown wrestling with crocodiles and python. She alleges that some regional officers of the CBFC were 'blatantly ignoring the rules'.

Eventually, her letter has caused a flurry debate within the Censor Board.

As a result, it is being said that it would no longer be easy for filmmakers to bypass rules regarding animals. For example Nadiadwala shot the scenes with pythons and crocodiles outside India. That exempted the scenes with the animals from scrutiny and scrutiny by the AWBI and CBFC.

So filmmakers, be alert! The censor board is in the process to circulate strict guidelines regarding the usage of animals in your films.