Leela Samson as Censor Board Chief receives mixed responses

Leela Samson as Censor Board Chief receives mixed responses

As classical dance connoisseur Leela Samson prepares to take over as the Chief of the Censor Board, Bollywood and film makers from other movie industries stand divided on choosing Samson over other film industry veterans. We had earlier reported that Leela Samson has no direct experience in the film industry, apart from being an expert Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer. Some industry seniors opine that the choice of Leela Samson was a downslide compared to the earlier incumbents, Sharmila Tagore and Anupam Kher, both with decades of film industry experience.

While some stakeholders criticize the appointment of a dance expert as a Censor Board chief, some say it is a progressive step compared to past decades when bureaucrats were appointed as Censor Board Chiefs. The appointment also proves I&B ministry's growing accommodation of changing trends in movies, which is exploring themes, never before seen in Indian movies.

Over debates on the appointment of the Censor Chief, some, who admire the western film circuits, are all in for a self regulatory body to certify movies, removing government control over film certification. A notable example of this is the MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America) a non-profit organisation which certifies American films sans interference from the government.