The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) are planning to establish a protocol for the depiction of minorities in movies by December, according to Commission Chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura on Friday. The Commission has taken action in response to the increasing number of complaints on this matter and has engaged with the CBFC.
Addressing the issue, a Commission official stated, “We have received numerous complaints, including one from Tamil Nadu expressing dissatisfaction with the portrayal of Christians in Rudratandav. Complaints from Jathedar Sikhs have also highlighted the ‘poor portrayal’ of Sikhs in films. We are currently investigating these concerns.”
While the complaints have been general so far, lacking specific details on how minority communities are inappropriately portrayed in Indian movies, the Commission is committed to examining and investigating them. The CBFC has been instructed to provide all relevant information by December. The CBFC divides the country into nine regions, each with a five-member movie screening committee, headed by a regional officer. Currently, there is a mandate for at least one woman on each committee, but there is no such requirement for a minority community representative.
The Commission is exploring the possibility of mandating the inclusion of a minority member on these screening committees in each region. An official stated, “We have requested both the CBFC and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to provide details on the selection process for these committees and the censor board. We plan to discuss this matter with the Ministry.”