The controversial list of 28 swear words that the Central Board of Film Certification wanted to banish has been put on hold for now, according to a source with knowledge of a crucial meeting in Mumbai today. The new CBFC appointees, who were named along with chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani in January, met existing members for the first time to decide the future direction and take a call on the list. Regional heads of the CBFC from Chennai, Hyderabad and other places also attended the meeting.

Another meeting has been called specifically to discuss the cuss list.

The board members include George Baker, Mihir Bhuta, S V Shekhar, Nandini Sardesai, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, Ashok Pandit, Syed Abdul Bari, Jeevitha, Vani Tripathi Tikoo and Ramesh Patange. Most of the new board members are from the film and television industries. Tripathi is the former national secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party, while Patange is a Dalit Hindutva activist.

The meeting was occasionally heated (lunch was served only at 3pm), with some board members reportedly criticising Nihalani for "exceeding his brief" and "unilaterally" resurrecting a list of debarred profanity that has been floating around the CBFC files since 2003, said the source. Nihalani apparently insisted that it was possible to make films without resorting to profanity or double entendre.


Nihalani courted controversy soon after being appointed by declaring that he would sweep his broom through what he regarded as the moral muck that had overtaken cinema and television. One of the points of debate at today’s meeting is the controversial list of swear words that Nihalani wants banned. Pandit had at the time raised a stink on Twitter, tweeting on February 13, “I as a Filmmaker & #CBFC board member do not endorse the list issued by the Chairperson On words not to be used in films.I ws nt consulted.” Pandit, who had sharp words for Karan Johar to task for participating in the All India Bakchod Roast in Mumbai in December, further said, “The list of words 'not to be used in films' issued by the Chairperson is against the freedom & creative liberty of a filmmaker. #CBFC

Shravan Kumar, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the CBFC and the official spokesperson, didn't return calls or SMSs requesting a statement on the meeting.