The latest episode of Karan Johar’s Koffee with Karan was aired at the late night slot of 11 pm instead of the usual 9 pm prime time. The channel felt that the content of this particular episode that had Nargis Fakhri and Freida Pinto as guests, was a little too risqué for prime time viewing.
Even the repeat telecasts will be censored and aired outside of primetime. This is the first time that a single episode of a popular show was removed from the primetime slot because it had “adult” content.
Star India, head of content, English GECs, Rasika Tyagi, reportedly said, “Staying within the IBF’s (Indian Broadcasting Foundation) guidelines, we didn’t want to air the episode before 11 pm. The alternative would have been to edit out a lot of the conversation, which we chose not to do. The episode is worth staying up late for.”
National television, over the last couple of years, has displayed a varied taste in terms of its choice of subjects and the content aired on screen. Liplocks and bedroom scenes, once taboo on small screen, are becoming increasingly frequent.
Moreover, with ample exposure to foreign sitcoms on the Internet and on TV, viewers across age groups have access to all kinds of adult content. Then what is the big fuss about regulating television content?
“TV is viewed in a social setting, along with family and friends and often with children around. This is different from viewing content through laptops or mobiles, as these are personal devices. TV broadcasters, therefore, have to be sensitive to how certain content will be received in a social setting. So it is crucial for us to observe censorship guidelines,” explains Arpit Manekar, programming head, AXN India.
Indian television content is evolving and one needs to be careful about content vis-a-vis timing, feels producer Rajan Shahi. He says, “Within the channel itself, there is a strong team to check the content that has to be aired and slots are decided keeping the content in mind. Yes, there is bold content on TV soaps too, but the way it is presented is what counts. Makers as well as broadcasters know that they are catering to family audiences. If a particular program is shown at 11 pm, there must be good enough reason for it.”
Actor Karanvir Bohra, however, feels that it’s time the attitude changed. “We need to stop being regressive about TV content. A good parent will constantly keep a check on minors and prohibit access to unsuitable content across mediums. It is time television content comes of age,” he says.
Ad man Prahlad Kakkar is of the opinion that what the industry needs is a monitoring system that keeps a tab on popular choices.
He says, “In our country, it is always politically correct to do moral policing as it will always find acceptance by certain sections of society. We need a proper monitoring system that keeps a tab on what is being preferred by the television audience at certain time slots. This will help find out what the majority wants to view and then we can concentrate on liberalisation of content.”
