MUMBAI: Information & Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni has given her assent to a film industry request that it be given 50 per cent representation in the Censor Advisory Board.

Filmmakers have long been grumbling about the Censor Board resorting to multiple cuts in their films and granting ‘A‘ or ‘U/A‘ certificates to films that could have been given a ‘U‘ certificate.

Smaller producers were also bearing the grouse that their films were being unfairly treated by the Censor Board while the bigger production houses were having their way.

"Now, with the I & B minister‘s directive in place, such grievances would lessen. It was also thought that the Board differentiated between big production houses and the smaller ones by granting the former a cautionary warning and a ‘U/A‘ certificate while the latter got an ‘A‘ certificate for their films. Hopefully, there would be no such discrimination henceforth, "averred FFI president T P Aggarwal.

The FFI president will soon sit across with members of the associations of actors, writers, directors and people from all crafts of the industry to suggest their members who can comprise the members of the industry in the Censor Board.

"But we will not have the final say of naming members on the Board; it is not under our prerogative. The Government will choose the final 50," observed Film Federation of India (FFI) secretary general Supran Sen.

Talking about the I & B minister‘s decision, film producer Mukesh Bhatt said, "I am happy that the government has finally given an ear to the film industry by giving it representation in the Censor Board. Hope that things will change in times to come."