There might be separate screens altogether for movies with 'A' certificates

Indian censor board may soon have a US-type grading system for movies that get an Adult only rating. Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) revamp committee is presently considering having separate screens for movies that have adult and sensitive content.

The committee which is headed by Shyam Benegal would have its first meeting on February 16 in Mumbai, where several recommendations are likely to be made. The committee comprises of film maker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, advertising expert Piyush Pandey and critic Bhawana Somaya.

"We had asked for suggestions from stakeholders and the response has been thick and fast," Benegal told ET. "We have selected the most important ones, which will now be discussed and put together."

The panel has also asked the board to be turned into a certification agency that would focus on ratings. A new system is soon expected that would not censor content. As per some sources, implementing a new gradation system is also possible, whereby audiences are told that a film may not be suitable for someone below 16 or 18.

The Benegal committee will also consider ways that would speed up the system of a film getting certified in a day or two instead of the present time duration of a week.

However, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra told ET that the main agenda of the first meeting will be to discuss redundancies that are in the 1932 Cinematograph Act, besides restricting CBFC to certification of movies and not censoring content.

To make sure that the southern and eastern regions are also properly presented, actor Kamal Haasan and filmmaker Gautam Ghosh are also called to the meeting.

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