Alongside overseeing land administration, revenue collection, health, education, disaster management and other goings-on in the district, Madhya Pradesh collectors will henceforth judge ‘entertainment’ as well.
Times of India, Dec 8, 2021
Want a good film script editor? Just call your Collector…
I am so glad that Madhya Pradesh has found an efficient way to edit film scripts. If you are planning to shoot a film in MP, you don’t have to hire expensive script editors. Just use cheap writers, come up with a basic script and submit it to the Collector’s office. And he will edit it for free! This efficient official will check to see if there is anything ‘objectionable’ in your script. And if you are civil to this civil servant, he might provide alternate storylines and dialogues.
Bringing the Collector into the picture, literally, happened because of a recent trend. An eagerly awaited movie would be scripted, rehearsed, shot, edited and just as it was about to hit big screens nationwide, someone somewhere would cry foul. The heroine’s clothes are too revealing… are you trying to portray tailors as perverts? Or there are other reasons… the title is offensive, the film is too graphic, it portrays a community in bad light, it shames a political group, it distorts history.
So MP’s home minister Narottam Mishra announced a new rule. If you want to shoot a film, OTT drama or an ad in MP, you have to submit a complete script to the local Collector’s office. And this administrator will go through the script with a fine-tooth conservative comb before approving it.
MP, a relatively poor state which should be welcoming all businesses with fanfare, might lose the film shoot business. But what’s more important, income generation or controversy free movies? No segment of society should be hurt or unhappy. How nice and noble of MP!
Just when India cinema is gaining worldwide popularity, getting good responses from critics and audiences abroad, and winning international awards, MP’s decision sets a bad precedent. India is now one of the world’s biggest film producers, its movies and filmy music entertaining audiences across the globe. But the industry’s success is based on its creative freedom.
If other states think ‘hey, let’s do that too’, and start editing scripts just to prove they are as conservative as MP, then surely the Indian film industry, which turns out more movies than Hollywood, will lose its glitter.
But now overworked district Collectors will get busier. In addition to administrating an entire district, he or she has to read and approve film scripts. Of course, films like Lipstick Wale Sapne and Round Figure could be banned right away, based on their titles.
But when a script actually requires reading, I am sure bureaucratic procedures will be followed and such work will be delegated to underpaid underlings.
This is what might happen when bureaucratic clerks are asked to approve scripts.
Sir, I have read the script as you told me.
So what do you think?
Quite problematic, Sir. A lot of controversies, especially of the religious kind.
That sounds bad. Like what, for example?
Sir, this is the story of a nice Hindu boy who has become a Muslim, and changed his name too.
So this boy has given up his Hinduism and converted to another religion? Sounds like a thoughtlessly terrible script.
That’s not all Sir. After he becomes a Muslim, he falls in love with a Hindu girl and marries her.
That is really controversial. Especially during these days of Love Jihad and stuff.
So what is the name of this movie?
Jodha Akbar, Sir. The script says that this nice Hindu boy, whose name is Hrithik Roshan, changes his name to Akbar.
Change the script a bit, Akbar is no longer a Moghul, but a Rajput.
Okay Sir, that should be fine with audiences. And Hrithik Roshan does not have to change religions.
And so, our Collectors are heeding a call above and beyond their duties. And conservative India’s quest for perfect, non-controversial film scripts go on.
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