Chandigarh: The Akal Takht, the highest seat of authority of Sikhism, has formed a 21-member "film censor board" and claimed that its clearance will have to be taken before making any movie on the Sikh religion and culture.

"The decision was taken because of controversies over films on Sikh gurus and distortion of Sikh history in movies. Any film that plans to portray any sequence related to Sikh gurus, their kin and Sikh history will have to seek clearance from the Sikh Film Censor Board," said Giani Gurbachan Singh, the Akal Takht head.

Over the past few years, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has been demanding that at least two of its members be included in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which regulates the exhibition of films in India and certifies the category of audience for each film.

Apart from religious leaders the Sikh Film Censor Board also has academics as its members.

Unlike the CBFC, which comes into play after a film is complete and before its release, the Sikh board has said its approval will have to be taken for the script of any feature film, documentary, animation and play based on the Sikh religion.

The CBFC is a statutory body under information and broadcasting ministry and regulates the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

The certification process is in accordance with the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the Cinematograph (certification) Rules, 1983, and guidelines issued by the central government.