"FCAT Served A Very Good Purpose": Sharmila Tagore On Abolishment Of Appeal Tribunal

Actor Sharmila Tagore who served as a chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for seven years, spoke about the abolishment of FCAT.

Sharmila Tagore had also worked towards expanding the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). Tagore aimed to expand the functions and values of FCAT. The FCAT would hear appeals from filmmakers regarding orders by the CBFC, the film certification body of India. The FCAT was dissolved by the Ministry of Law and Justice on April 6, 2021.

Sharmila Tagore stated that “I don’t know the rationale behind this step but it concerns the film producers.” Tagore showed her support for the FCAT and added that “FCAT served a very good purpose because it was a recourse for the producers to go to another source to moderate the CBFC’s point of view.”

Tagore called it a “hassle” for a filmmaker or producer to go to court. She stated that going to court is expensive and leads to delay. Tagore stated that the FCAT was an “enabling body” and called it a “bridge between the producers on one hand and the civil society on the other.”

Since the Ministry of Law and Justice dissolved the FCAT, filmmakers and producers would have to approach the high court instead of the FCAT.

Sharmila Tagore is not the only person that raised her concern and disappointment regarding the abolishment. The director, producer, and actor Hansal Mehta asked whether “Do the high courts have a lot of time to address film certification grievances?” Mehta also asked, “Why take this decision at all?”

The director, screenwriter, producer, and singer Vishal Bhardwaj called it a “sad day for cinema”. Actor Poonam Dhillon was also a part of the FCAT. Dhillon stated that “I do feel FCAT is definitely going to be something that the producers will miss having around.”