Pornography in India
Encyclopedia
Pornography in India
.
While watching or perusing pornographic materials in private is not illegal, distribution of such materials - including on the internet - is illegal in India. Likewise, the publication or production of `obscene' materials is illegal.
The law relating to pornography or `obscenity' is laid down in Sec.292 of the Indian Penal Code which came about by Act 36 of 1969:
"Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.-[(1)] For the purposes of sub-section (2) book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation, figure or any other object, shall be deemed to be obscene, if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect, or (where it comprises two or more distinct items) the effects of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely , having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.]
[(2) Whoever-
sells , lets to hire ,distributes, publicly exhibits or in any manner puts into circulation or for purposes of sale, hire, distribution public exhibition of circulation, makes produces, or has in
(a) Possession any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing painting, representation or figure or any other obscene objects whatsoever, or
(b) Imports, exports or conveys any obscene objects for any of the purposes, aforesaid, on knowing or having reason to believe that such objects will be sold let to hire, distributed or publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation or
(c) takes part in or receives profit from any business in the course of which he knows or has reasons to believe that such an object are for any of the purposes aforesaid, made produced, purchased , kept, imported, exported, convey, publicly excited, or in any manner put into circulation, or
(d) advertises or makes known by any means whatsoever that any person is engaged or is ready to engage in any act which is an offense under this section, or that any such obscene object can be procured from or through any person, or
(e) Offers or attempts to do any act which is an offense under this section, shall be punished [on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.]"
As per the Act, accessing pornography in private is not illegal. Pornographic films in India are referred to as Blue Films and are available virtually anywhere; especially in areas where pirated material is already being sold.
, Bengali
, Malayalam, Punjabi
, Telugu
languages. Such films normally have similar storyline and include a lengthy bathroom scene by the lead actress followed, at times by full nude scenes.
, Maria and Reshma. Other famous stars are Devika, Sindhu, Kumtaz.
There are many nude models like Sandy Adams, Amita Shah, Katy Mirza & Shabana De who have appeared in adult magazines like Debonair (magazine)
and videos.
published by DeshmukhSavita Bhabhi is a manga
-like erotic cartoon strip about the adventures of a bored housewife neglected by her husband.
A Desi Fantasy website solicited and gave access to user-written pornographic narratives but as of January 2010 it seemed to have disappeared into ether, leaving behind a compendium in a blog hosted outside India. http://desi-fantasy.blogspot.com/2006/09/stories-collection.html These narratives are in a mixture of English and romanized Hindi/Urdu. They are notable for situations inside traditional extended families that might be considered incestuous as well as for situations documenting the sex lives of Indian yuppies whose lifestyles seem to resemble their western counterparts.
The Information Technology Act
, Chapter XI Paragraph 67, the Government of India
clearly considers online pornography as a punishable offense. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 section 293 also specifies, in clear terms, the law against sale of obscene objects to minors.
In Tamil Nadu, Dr. Prakash was arrested in December 2001 on charges of taking obscene photos of his female patients through hidden cameras and uploading them with the help of his US-based brother.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
While watching or perusing pornographic materials in private is not illegal, distribution of such materials - including on the internet - is illegal in India. Likewise, the publication or production of `obscene' materials is illegal.
The law relating to pornography or `obscenity' is laid down in Sec.292 of the Indian Penal Code which came about by Act 36 of 1969:
"Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.-[(1)] For the purposes of sub-section (2) book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation, figure or any other object, shall be deemed to be obscene, if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect, or (where it comprises two or more distinct items) the effects of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely , having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.]
[(2) Whoever-
sells , lets to hire ,distributes, publicly exhibits or in any manner puts into circulation or for purposes of sale, hire, distribution public exhibition of circulation, makes produces, or has in
(a) Possession any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing painting, representation or figure or any other obscene objects whatsoever, or
(b) Imports, exports or conveys any obscene objects for any of the purposes, aforesaid, on knowing or having reason to believe that such objects will be sold let to hire, distributed or publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation or
(c) takes part in or receives profit from any business in the course of which he knows or has reasons to believe that such an object are for any of the purposes aforesaid, made produced, purchased , kept, imported, exported, convey, publicly excited, or in any manner put into circulation, or
(d) advertises or makes known by any means whatsoever that any person is engaged or is ready to engage in any act which is an offense under this section, or that any such obscene object can be procured from or through any person, or
(e) Offers or attempts to do any act which is an offense under this section, shall be punished [on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.]"
As per the Act, accessing pornography in private is not illegal. Pornographic films in India are referred to as Blue Films and are available virtually anywhere; especially in areas where pirated material is already being sold.
Softcore pornography
Softcore porn industry exists in India. These movies are produced in HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
, Malayalam, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
languages. Such films normally have similar storyline and include a lengthy bathroom scene by the lead actress followed, at times by full nude scenes.
Indian softcore porn stars
Top soft porn actresses include Abhilasha, Pratibha, ShakeelaShakeela
Shakeela , , , is a film actress from India who has appeared in Indian softcore pornographic movies. She mostly acted in film industries of Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, and Kannada languages. She started out as an actor in B-grade movies in the early 1990s.Later she moved to Chennai seeking...
, Maria and Reshma. Other famous stars are Devika, Sindhu, Kumtaz.
There are many nude models like Sandy Adams, Amita Shah, Katy Mirza & Shabana De who have appeared in adult magazines like Debonair (magazine)
Debonair (magazine)
Debonair is an Indian men's magazine, originally modeled after Playboy.The magazine, best known for its topless female centerfolds, was launched by Ashok Row Kavi and Anthony Van Braband. Under editor Derek Bose, Debonair was reformatted to remove nudity and target a younger demographic in 2005....
and videos.
Hardcore pornography
Hardcore pornography is banned in India. However, some hardcore Indian porn is available illegally in Indian markets.Online pornography
Many legal/illegal websites like Savita BhabhiSavita Bhabhi
Savita Bhabhi is an Indian pornographic cartoon character and has earned a recognition as India's first porn star. The character named Savita is depicted as an attractive promiscuous housewife who is ignored by her husband and engages in sexual adventures. The suffix bhabhi is commonly attached...
published by DeshmukhSavita Bhabhi is a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
-like erotic cartoon strip about the adventures of a bored housewife neglected by her husband.
A Desi Fantasy website solicited and gave access to user-written pornographic narratives but as of January 2010 it seemed to have disappeared into ether, leaving behind a compendium in a blog hosted outside India. http://desi-fantasy.blogspot.com/2006/09/stories-collection.html These narratives are in a mixture of English and romanized Hindi/Urdu. They are notable for situations inside traditional extended families that might be considered incestuous as well as for situations documenting the sex lives of Indian yuppies whose lifestyles seem to resemble their western counterparts.
The Information Technology Act
Information Technology Act
The Information Technology Act 2000 is an Act of the Indian Parliament notified on October 17, 2000.-History of the Act:...
, Chapter XI Paragraph 67, the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
clearly considers online pornography as a punishable offense. The Indian Penal Code, 1860 section 293 also specifies, in clear terms, the law against sale of obscene objects to minors.
Chapter XI
"67. Publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form. - Whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published in the electronic form, any material which is lascivious or appeal to the prurient interest or if its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it, shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees and in the event of a second or subsequent conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years and also with fine which may extend to two lakh rupees."
In Tamil Nadu, Dr. Prakash was arrested in December 2001 on charges of taking obscene photos of his female patients through hidden cameras and uploading them with the help of his US-based brother.
See also
- Internet censorship in IndiaInternet censorship in IndiaInternet censorship in India is selectively practiced by both federal and state governments. While there is no sustained government policy or strategy to block access to Internet content on a large scale, measures for removing content that is obscene or otherwise objectionable, or that endangers...
- Sex in Indian entertainmentSex in Indian EntertainmentIn Indian film and television, there is currently a decrease in the taboo related to the depiction of sexuality. However, many Bollywood films, with an emphasis on the rich, urban class, rarely depict the true values that most Indians have about sex...
- History of sex in IndiaHistory of sex in IndiaHuman sexual behaviour in India has been influenced by different attitudes and opinions over time.-History:The seeming contradictions of Indian attitudes towards sex can be best explained through the context of history...
- Savita BhabhiSavita BhabhiSavita Bhabhi is an Indian pornographic cartoon character and has earned a recognition as India's first porn star. The character named Savita is depicted as an attractive promiscuous housewife who is ignored by her husband and engages in sexual adventures. The suffix bhabhi is commonly attached...
- Angela DeviAngela DeviAngela Devi , born Angela Shunali Dhingra , was an Indian American adult model...
- Priya RaiPriya RaiPriya Rai, also known as Priya Anjali Rai and Priya Rai Anjali , is an Indian American pornographic actress.-Early life:...
- Sunny LeoneSunny LeoneNot to be confused with fellow pornographic actress Sunny LaneSunny Leone is an Indo-Canadian pornographic actress, actress, businesswoman and model. She was named Penthouse Pet of the Year in 2003 and was a contract star for Vivid Entertainment...