After being announced as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Friday, poet and lyricist Prasoon Joshi was taken by surprise at the rapid turn of events. “I had given my consent for this but then it all happened so fast. I am not a big man. I am a small entity. There are a lot of big people who will be around me and I am lucky that I know a lot of people who think well and for the good of the film industry,” he says.
Ask him about his plans around discharging the new set of duties, and Prasoon seems to have the right intentions. He is also honest about his awareness about the work involved. “I really do not know how this work is done, but I do understand that it has to be done and done well. I know what the work is in short, but I need to understand what the processes are. I want to try and make as much difference as I can. I need to know about the nitty-gritties. I am still waiting to know when I am supposed to take over,” admits the Padma Shri awardee.
Prasoon also understands that the film industry expects much more from a man who has taken over from the courter of controversies, Pahlaj Nihalani, who disappointed many big films and filmmakers during his two-year tenure as the CBFC chief.
“I am happy that there are a lot of expectations. I respect the film industry a lot. I will try to listen to those who have good advice to offer. All the people who can join in will make a difference. This work has to be done together. There has to be some sort of an understanding that this is the job to be done and I would want it to be looked at constructively and done to the best of our abilities. I have never shied away from taking responsibilities till date,” he says.
Tell Prasoon that the job of the CBFC head is to certify and not to censor and the 45-year-old lyricist and adman says, “It is too early for me to answer a lot of questions. I will answer them once I get a hold of things. I am not someone who will sit like an armchair intellectual and just comment on things. I need to take things in my hands like an artiste and a thinker and then deliver. A man can only try his best. I will use my experience as well as my understanding in the best way possible to discharge my duties. But then, I am a sensitive person and I will want to think about others too.”
— Sanskriti Media
