Arvind Swamy

Speaking at the inauguration of the Chennai International Film Festival, Arvind Swami lashed down at the censor board for its rigid rules and came down heavily on few fringe groups that threaten artistes thereby challenging their freedom of expression. The actor said, 'Fearing censorship, the director in the land of 'Kama Sutra' is struggling to shoot a kissing scene in cinema. Even 2,000 years after Vatsyayana wrote Kama Sutra, filmmakers in the country cannot show a couple making love.' The actor said, 'When I was growing up, I saw many wonderful Tamil films. But when I look back, a lot of commercial films depicted violence against women more than they depicted love. We never got to see a loving couple share a kiss or make love'.

Stating that a lot of commercial films today are depicted violence against women, he said that i is unfortunate that these films manage to clear censors so easily that those depicting love, indirectly alleged the censor board of 'double standards'. He wondered whether the society has become more closeted. The Chennai International Film Festival, which will take place till 21 December, will showcase 140 films across 50 countries.

The festival is being organised by the Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation with the support of the Government of India, and the Government of Tamil Nadu, in association with the National Film Development Corporation. The films will be presented under the categories of world cinema, country focus, retrospective, contemporary German films, Indian panorama and the Tamil film competition. To commemorate 100 years of actor-politician MGR, two of his films will be screened.

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