Growling “No Adult Content” and "Movie Channel Ban" he is once again here to remind us all that the “explosive” growth in the entertainment industry we all talk about is built on shaky foundations. He is chasing down Cable Operators and shutting down Movie channels, till they get Indian Censor Board Certification for their content. The cable operators are crying foul and say that it’s the Broadcasters who are to be penalized as they are at fault.

Strange things have happened to tell of Banzilla’s coming, our colas became brackish and the seawater turned sweet. Various holy statues across the country started drinking milk. All omens that give us a little insight into what our great nation is all about in one word – PARADOX.

We pass the RTI (Right To Information) Act only to change it later so that it loses its potency. We privatize TV and radio only to bring in a Broadcast Bill that could scuttle at any time the very freedoms our media has come to enjoy and flourish in. As Banzilla roams around sending shock waves across the land people are wondering whether this newfound prosperity/freedom is real or a fantasy. In a true democracy the power lies with the people and after 60 years of Independence India is finally getting there.

We have to fight Banzilla and send him back into his deep watery home for he is threatening our very future as a society and as a nation. Some months ago the Government asked all Music Television Channels to run rolling text on-air, apologizing for showing lewd programming. It was akin to asking a rogue student to write, “I will not cheat in exam” 500 times on a blackboard. Come on, can we not have a better policy in place to control what is shown at what time of the day on which channels. It is not rocket science. It happens all over the world and it can happen here too.

We hear time and time again that our reforms are irreversible. Which means that there is no going back. Nevertheless Banzilla will try to take us back every now and then and we must prove time after time that he won’t defeat us. He needs to be told that we are reasonable people who are mature enough to decide what we want to watch, when we want to watch and where we want to watch it. If the two hundred foot creature needs to sit down over a meal and discuss it, no problem. May we suggest the spanking new eatery Hitler’s Cross in Mumbai as a place we could meet and sort this mess out?

Comments:

This ban will be for TV channels and not possible for VCD & DVDs. Many U/A and English adult movies are available in this media and any viewer irrespective of age factor can see it. Thus such very limited banis meaningless.

Mani Modak

With parental control in place, ban on TV channels is not desirable on the DTH platform.

Sashisekhar

This ban is nothing but pure nonsense.

Arun

If you don't like watching something, don't force others to stop watching as well... STOP being our mama!

Barry

I think its the DTH mafia who did provoke something like this to promote their product. In fact I'm a victim of it!

Siva

Star Plus and Sony are much worse than any other channels in India. They only validate retrograde customs and practices, in their crappy Soaps. If any channels are to be banned, these should be, as they show uncivilized behavior in a good light. HBO and Star Movies are very good channels, and their showings are always humanizing and civilizing, while providing quality entertainment at the same time. Though 'bad' is shown on these channels, it is always in a bad light or as sarcasm. The BAN BRIGADE in India has no idea of what civics is, don't know English, and have no sense of humor. (Unless it is in keeping with their stone age culture). It is really sad that due to such narrow minded and uncivilized people, the rest of us have to suffer so.

Tukul

The ban is unwanted as far as entertainment is concerned because the channels which provide entertainment are banned. The idiot box is now a useless box.

Richard

What is the use of banning a channel which provides the adult materials. If you think that you should not watch then do not watch, why are you asking others also not to watch.....

Ravi

Grow up Banning BugHeads!!! Have your discretion in what you watch and not what others watch. Banning channels is childish.

Chatterjee

Freedom does not mean you can do anything you want, The govt should not allow any adult content in any media, Well our supreme court in a 2002 judgment has ruled that viewing an adult film by a major Indian in his private room or home is no offense though.

Anand

The ban is pure non-sense. It's up to the customer what he wants to watch and what he doesn't. Btw I would like to ban all the ads on the pay channels.

Vishal S

Because of movie through illegal medium the cable is been running earlier and should not ban to show movie.

Manoj

Ban is right because in small villages people are not aware to lock the adult channels and new generation is very smart to unlock it so it gives bad effect on their mind.

Ashok Kaushik 

WHY BAN? after all apart from child, we are adult are also here who can watch adult content within a rigid time schedule (After 11:30 night).

Rather Govt. should ban all the violence content in childs channel.

Rajesh

The more you hide, the more people will seek it through other means (internet, black market). If any underage person is determined to watch porn or violence, he or she will do it by umpteen other means available. Don't blame your shabby parenting skills on the media. Banning channels is not a substitute for talking to kids about sensitive subjects. It's akin to saying that the 10,000 religious channels out there are making people more religious. Morons!

Joe

You can Ban a channel by watching if a person wants to watch, then he can watch what ever he want on his own arrangement. It should be from a people's mind not by putting the restriction. People who dont want to watch just lock it and ignore it why they are inturuping in others life. I Would say banning a channel is really a stupidity in the world. you can see the western countries which are allowing this and they are moving fast in every thing people who like to ban channels they are not thinking with broad mind. Let me tell you a person's mentality A person likes to get one thing which he is not able to get it he will try to get it, if it comes to him easily he will show his interest in it. So make this thing to reach them easily so that they will not have much interest in that.

This is the phsycological treatment please do this.

Munna