Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar during one of her interviews with The Indian Express, delved into the complexities of censorship in the film industry, particularly focusing on the portrayal of physical intimacy. Speaking alongside her father, the renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, Zoya shared her thoughts on the importance of depicting consensual intimacy in films and how censorship should be approached by filmmakers themselves.Hypocrisy of Censorship in Indian CinemaZoya, who recently directed the Archies adaptation for Netflix and produced the coming-of-age drama Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan, addressed the double standards in censorship. She criticized the acceptance of violence against women in films while consensual acts of love, such as a kiss, are often censored. It is very important to showcase consensual intimacy on screen. I grew up at a time where women were bullied, beaten up, harassed, and sexually assaulted on screen. All these were allowed, but you couldnt see a kiss, she remarked, receiving warm applause from the audience.Artistic Freedom and Filmmakers ResponsibilityZoya acknowledged the potential for the absence of censorship to lead to unrestrained depictions of intimacy. However, she emphasized that the portrayal of such scenes ultimately rests on the filmmakers artistic choices. Drawing comparisons to the varying depictions of violence in films like Ramesh Sippys Sholay and Quentin Tarantinos works, she argued that each films tone dictates how such content is presented. Every film has a tone, and every filmmaker tells a story in a particular way. It is all about what you are trying to evoke in the audience, Zoya explained.She also pointed out the cultural differences in how nudity and intimacy are portrayed in cinema across different regions, noting that the French, for example, are more comfortable with male nudity compared to Americans. I wouldnt do in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara what I did in Lust Stories. The audience doesnt make a big deal of it because the intentions were clear, Zoya added, with her father nodding in agreement.Javed Akhtar on Intentions Behind Intimate ScenesJaved Akhtar further elaborated on his daughters views by stressing the importance of intention behind intimate scenes. If you are showing a love scene to titillate, that is different. If you want to evoke genuine romance and empathetic emotions, then it is different, he stated. He contrasted the use of language in films like Bandit Queen with everyday speech, emphasizing that intention plays a crucial role in how audiences perceive such content.
