Ban Bang: Haren whip outrages city fashion fraternity

The fashion industry has reacted strongly to the ban imposed on Fashion TV, a channel beaming fashion shows from around the world. While their reaction borders on outrage, it has been mixed among common citizens.

The state government on Tuesday had ordered cable operators to stop FTV and TB6. It said the channels shows vulgar, obscene and unhealthy programmes. While almost all agree with the ban on TB6, as the channel had adult late night programmes, few were ready to digest Fashion TV ban.

Noted dramatist Hasmukh Bharadi said the ban shows "politicians do not consider their voters mature enough to decide what they should watch on television." He said children watching the channel should be checked on by parents. "Let parents decide what they and their children should see on television," he said.

Bharadi said, "Our mainstream Hindi movies are more obscene and titillating."

Leading fashion designers of the city feel though most clothes displayed on Fashion TV are not wearable by Indian standards that is not a reason to ban a professional channel aired from Paris, the fashion capital of the world. "The ban, definitely, is a setback for aspiring models and designers of the city and state but since there is no union or association of the fashion industry, no one will individually voice their concern over the ban," a designer said on condition of anonymity. Some feel the visual impact of the clothes is hyped up by terming designer wear as "obscene" where as it is creative attire be it lingerie or bungees.

National Institute of Fashion Technology visiting faculty Visha Sachde said, "I don't understand why they have banned the channel. Looking at the way Indian fashion market is gearing up for global competition, this channel is a help. Not only for the fashion-conscious but the channel serves as a direct link to the fashion industry around the world."

"We have MTV Grind. Doesn’t the government see any nudity in that? I think the ban is ridiculous and stupid," she added.

According to Nift graduate and visiting faculty Barsha, the ban is uncalled for. "They are not seeing what is it all about. It is actually funny. We need to grow up. Vulgar are the Bollywood movies of today. The world is headed towards the millennium, but are we? We are actually going backwards."

She adds, "Though the channel features models wearing transparent stuff at times but it is not for titillation and it can at best be sensual,"

Model Deepika Motwani feels the ban imposed on fashion TV is unjust to the people of the fashion trade. Models get a good glimpse of international models on the ramp, while designers can see who is wearing what in the international fashion circuit. Apart from that detailing on attires and trends be it denim or lingerie were the highlights of Fashion TV."

Commenting on complaints that children were part of viewership especially during the lingerie display, she says that parents should check what their children are watching at late night because they do not need to watch Fashion TV, it being a professional channel.

Femina Look of the Year Karishma Modi called the ban "ridiculous," as it was useful to people of the profession. "Such channels should be viewed with a professional frame of mind and if this is found obscene to air to the Indian viewer, similar bans should be imposed on other channels too," she said.

Compiled from local news media