A walk down any of China’s cities would shock an Indian. The skin show and public displays of affection almost match those in the West. And no one (except Indians) casts a second glance.

Yet, while India’s notorious censor board passed the 3D Titanic without cuts, China’s censors cut out two scenes — the famous nude scene where Kate Winslet poses for Leonardo DiCaprio, and a love-making scene.

Viewers weren’t amused. The audience at the premiere booed when the screen stopped at a close-up of Winslet’s face and neck in the scene in which she poses nude. A China Daily columnist lambasted the censor’s ‘moral grandstanding’, and pointed out that the scene was available all over the internet.

Netizens were less polite. Here is what one had to say on the matter — “Is our Party’s corrupt and rotten cadres keeping N amount of mistresses considered obscene and lewd?!”

Touch screen

While the cuts haven’t prevented the film from becoming one of the biggest hits in the country, they have spawned a funny story. A Chinese student blogger was provoked to ridicule the censors by posting this reason for the cuts: “...the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television provided this explanation: ‘Considering the unique characteristics of 3D movies, we were concerned that the audience will reach up to touch during this scene. In so doing, they may hit the heads of the front-row audience, thus causing conflicts. For the purpose of constructing a civilized spirit in society, we decided to remove this scene.’’’

The blogger added the tag, “Fake news story”, on his page on the Chinese version of Facebook. However, the post spread in no time — but without the tag. Videos were put up of viewers reaching out to touch, ruffling the heads of those seated in front of them. But when the China Business News, an official online site, quoted it, sourcing it to a “top commentator’’, the blogger felt obliged to write to the editor and direct him to the original post which had the “Fake news story’’ tag.

The site deleted the post, but by then, the Western media were quoting it too. And on an American television show, the Titanic director, James Cameron, cited this reason for the cuts, making the audience roar with disbelieving laughter. “I can’t believe Chinese men have so little sex,’’ said the host, “there are so many of them.’’ Well, said Cameron, the film had made $20 million in its first two shows in China, so he wasn’t complaining.

Three vulgarities

But Chinese netizens are. Calling the censors ‘perverts’, they railed against them “watch(ing) this 3D scene at home with their [3D] glasses and their hands.... Cutting it so only they themselves can enjoy it.”

At the start of this year, SARFT began implementing a two-thirds cut in TV entertainment programmes on channels other than the official CCTV. Every channel can now show only two entertainment programmes a week, lasting not more than 90 minutes on prime time on weekdays.

These “lowbrow’’ programmes propagating the “three vulgarities’’ as defined by President Hu Jintao — ‘sex-obsessed, mindless and tasteless culture’ — must be replaced by news programmes and documentaries.

Is it any wonder then that while the fake reason for the Titanic cuts has made SARFT the butt of ridicule the world over, it has said not a word in rebuttal?