Actors, directors angry with AXN ban
(No Ratings Yet)Bollywood celebrities have vociferously spoken out against the ban on AXN channel, terming it unfair in an era of media convergence where information and images are available at the click of a mouse.
Jumping into the moral policing game, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi has announced a ban on AXN till March 15, finding the late night “World’s Sexiest Commercials” programme against “good taste or decency”.
Irked by the ban, model-turned-actor Milind Soman told IANS: “I do not believe in censorship. I believe in freedom of media. The audience is sensible, mature and old enough to discriminate … what to watch and what not to watch!
“As far as children are concerned, parents must put a lock on the channels they do not want their children to watch. And how long is this ban going to work? Especially when everything is available on the Internet.
“The decision taken by Dasmunsi does not make any sense. The act of moral policing clearly reflects the arbitrary use of power and depicts his attempt to hog media attention.”
Film director Raj Kaushal says: “If you have to put a blanket across, it should be for everyone. If such programmes are shot in our country then it makes sense…otherwise targeting one channel is not fair. In a world of Internet and MMS you cannot curtain out things.”
Citing examples of the Gladrags calendar and remix albums, the director remarks: “On one hand we promote skin show and on the other, you ban a channel. We are giving a confused impression to the world. I would say all Indians are hypocrites. India is the country of Kama Sutra and there is nothing to say beyond our population figures. We need to open up now. This kind of censorship is not going to hold for long.”
Ketaki Dave, who played Saif Ali Khan’s mother in “Kal Ho Naa Ho”, does not find the move right either. “We are living in a democracy and every individual has a right to decide for himself. Dasmunsi might feel that public morality can be protected by prohibiting one channel.
“But before taking a decision, he must have watched television for at least 24 hours because there are a number of other channels that show stupid things. Either censor everything or else let everything go on air.”
Television actress Vani Tripathi, who made her big screen debut with “Dil Se Pooch… Kidhar Jaana Hai”, says: “I totally condemn the step taken by the ministry. People who have no creative knowledge have taken this decision. It is similar to Pakistan banning blogs. Such a dictatorial decision puts a question mark on democracy and also on the existence of the censor board.
“The minister must meet people from the industry and then have an open debate about what can be viewed and what should be banned. Today it’s one channel … tomorrow it can be 15 others.”
Item girl Sambhavna Seth had something similar to say. “Why only AXN? Today there is so much of exposure on almost every channel. And children are hyperactive these days, they know more than what we know. Outlawing a single channel is not going to work. I am sure the ministry has better issues to look at.”
Says Nisha Kothari, who plays Basanti in Ram Gopal Varma’s upcoming “Sholay”: “I feel this ban is not going to prove a saviour of public morality.
“AXN is not a very popular channel and there are many other channels which are more popular and show all unnecessary stuff. If the ban has to be announced, it should be for everyone.”
— IANS
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