Top Bollywood producers, including veteran Ramesh Sippy, Gulzar and Mukesh Bhatt, met Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore to improve the process of movie certification in wake of recent controversies.
The Hindi film industry was reportedly up in arms after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief Pahlaj Nihalani made 23 Hindi and English 'objectionable' words off-limits for filmmakers.
Rathore said the meeting was not about an individual but to ensure that filmmaking was made easier for the industry.
"Certain suggestions have come up to do with the film certification, to do with certain clearances that the film industries require time and again. So these are the things we will work through other ministries to make things easier for the film industry," said Rathore.
The Board member, Chandraprakash Dwivedi, had reportedly criticised the CBFC chief over the edits of Bollywood film 'NH10', which has been co-produced by actress Anushka Sharma, who also stars in the movie.
The president of the Film and Television Producers' Guild of India, Mukesh Bhatt, said they would meet more often to address their concerns with the government and thanked the minister for his reassurances.
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"We were feeling very vulnerable, we were feeling restless and we were feeling very insecure. He came, he took out time and understood that we are facing problems. We were feeling vulnerable. It was very nice of him to come and give us feeling of reassurance that we are on the same page. Now, we have decided that we will be meeting more often as part of one family," Bhatt said.
Top Bollywood actor, director and producer, Aamir Khan, said the film certification should be made transparent.
"We are very happy with the kind of response he gave to us. He assured us that he will pay attention to our concerns especially regarding film certification and take right steps," said Khan.