What is CBFC's plan to end title clashes?

It used to be common practice for a producer to block film titles for later use (even if they never ended up using them). This would mean that producers with actual intent to make the films would have to run from pillar to post as figuring out who held the titles would be a long, rather cumbersome process.

En route to transparency

Since 1990, there are four film bodies involved in the registration of film titles — The Film & Television Producers Guild of India Ltd, Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association, Indian Film and Television Producers Council and Western India Film Producers’ Association. And in case of disputes, matters would be settled between these four bodies, leaving the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) out of it. The CBFC held no control over this and could not withhold certificates.

But now, the CBFC is trying to bring about a change in the registration of film titles. Whoever gets to them first for a certificate, will get the title. This will help to prevent illegal business of shopping for film titles and bring about transparency.

Pros and cons

Girish Johar from Zee Studios says, “It’s a process that is under development. The CBFC wants to stop hoarding of titles by any one person, so they are trying to set up a structure for producers under certain pre-set conditions. It’s simple: whoever comes for censorship of this/her film first, will get the title. But there’s a catch. For example, a producer like Aditya Chopra (Befikre is out early next year) or Aamir Khan (whose Dangal is complete, but is set to release later this year) could have it tough. Another producer could complete his film in 30 days with the same title and get the title from the CBFC. The intention is good: to curb the hoarding of titles, take away control by the bodies and bring the whole process under the government’s purview, through the CBFC. But while producers have liked it, they are trying to iron out the loopholes in it.”

Have budget, will pay

Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta adds, “On the plus side, it’s excellent news as so much corruption exists in regard to the registration of film titles with the different associations. Individuals are making a business out of it with almost over 3000 titles being registered every month. Earlier, it was a racket where producers had to pay through their nose to get titles or pay to renew our titles every year. On the flipside, a film like  mine — his Kaabil is under production — could suffer if hypothetically, another producer makes a small-budget film, calls it Kaabil and releases it after getting the title from the CBFC before we do. So I don’t know whether it is good or bad. One way out is trademarking the titles when getting the censor certificate. It is not very expensive and anybody who is serious about making a big film, will obviously have the budget to pay for it.”