This article is about the Indian film classification board. For the Pakistani counterpart, see Central Board of Film Censors. For other uses, see CBFC.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952." The Cinematograph Act 1952 outlines a strict certification process for commercial films shown in public venues. Films screened in cinemas and on television may only be publicly exhibited in India after certification by the board and edited.
Certificates and guidelines
Film-certificate categories
The board currently issues four certificates. Originally, there were two: U (unrestricted public exhibition with family-friendly movies) and A (public exhibition restricted to adults but any kind of nudity not allowed). Two more were added in June 1983 that are U/A (unrestricted public exhibition, with parental guidance for children under 12) and S (restricted to specialised audiences, such as doctors or scientists). The board may refuse to certify a film. Additionally, V/U, V/UA, V/A are used for video films with U, U/A and A carrying the same meaning as above. Variations of the U/A certificate were introduced in November 2024: U/A 7+, U/A 13+ and U/A 16+.
U certificate
Films with the U certification are available for unrestricted public exhibition and are family-friendly. These films can contain universal themes like education, family, drama, romance, sci-fi, fantasy and action etc. These films can also contain some mild violence, but it cannot be prolonged. It may also contain very mild sexual scenes (without any traces of nudity or sexual detail).
U/A certificate
Films with the U/A certification can contain moderate adult themes that are not strong in nature and are not considered appropriate to be watched by a child without parental guidance. These films may contain moderate to strong violence, moderate sexual scenes (traces of nudity and moderate sexual detail can be found), frightening scenes, blood flow, or muted abusive language. Sometimes such films are re-certified with V/U for video viewing. The age threshold was previously set at 12 years of age, but in 2024 this was further refined to 7, 13 and 16 years of age.
UA 7+ – Unrestricted public exhibition, but with parental guidance for children below the age of 7 years and appropriate above the age of seven.
UA 13+ – Unrestricted public exhibition, but with parental guidance for children below the age of 13 years.
UA 16+ – Unrestricted public exhibition, but with parental guidance for children below the age of 16 years.
A certificate
Films with the A certification are available for public exhibition restricted to adults (18+). These films can contain strong violence, explicit and strong sexual scenes, abusive language, but words which insult or degrade women, men or any social group are not allowed. Controversial, adult or suggestive themes are considered unsuitable for young viewers. Such films are often re-certified with V/U and V/UA for TV, which does not happen in the case of U and U/A certified movies.
S certificate
Films with S certification cannot be viewed by the public. Only people associated with it (doctors, scientists, etc.) are permitted to view these films.
History
The Cinematograph Act proposed in 1918, came into effect in 1920 during British colonial rule in India which regulated licensing of cinema houses and certification of films for public display. Seven years after the production of India's first film, Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra. Censorship boards were originally independent bodies under the police chiefs of the cities of Madras (now Chennai), Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), Lahore (now in Pakistan), and Rangoon (now Yangon in Myanmar).
After the 1947 independence of India, autonomous regional censors were absorbed into the Bombay Board of Film Censors. The Cinematograph Act of 1952 reorganised the Bombay board into the Central Board of Film Censors which was renamed the Central Board of Film Certification following the 1983 revision of cinematography rules. Censorship of films in India is governed by The Cinematograph Act, 1952 and its associated rules and guidelines drafted in line with section 5B of the act.
In 2016, the Shyam Benegal Committee was formed to lay down norms of film certification, with recommendation of procedures and guidelines for CBFC's operation. It submitted recommendations including emphasizing certification over censorship, more categories of certification, limited function of the board to reduce 'reign of terror', shifting advisory panel from Ministry of Information Broadcasting to members selected by NFDC, FFSI, FFI, NCPCR and NCW with 50% representation of women, and permitting the board to re-certify movies. The Shyam Benegal reforms has not been considered in drafting of any further bill.
The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) was a judiciary panel where filmmakers could appeal decisions of the CBFC which had been historically more progressive than CBFC and instrumental in overturning many CBFC decisions, notably of Bandit Queen (1994), Udta Punjab (2016) and Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017), and was positively received by filmmakers for quick resolutions. FCAT was abolished in 2021 along with 9 other panels, assigning FCAT's role to High Courts under the Tribunal Reforms Ordinance, 2021 which has been widely criticized for effectively enabling more stringent censorship in film industry.
The Cinematograph Act was amended in 2023 with the introduction of Cinematography Amendment Bill. It introduces new age-based certification categories, expanded scope to television and streaming services, and anti-piracy measures.
Principles
The board has a list of major guiding principles to ensure healthy public entertainment and education and, using modern technology, to make the certification process and board activities transparent to filmmakers, the media and the public. Every video must undergo CBFC certification for telecasting or distributing over any platform in India. The board suggests the same standards for anywhere in the world.
Refusal to certify
In addition to the certifications above, there is also the possibility of the board refusing to certify the film at all.
The board's guidelines are:
Anti-social activities (such as violence) may not be glorified.
Any controversial topics
Criminal acts may not be depicted.
The following is prohibited:
a) Involvement of children in violent acts or abuse.
b) Abuse or ridicule of the physically or mentally handicapped.
c) Unnecessary depictions of cruelty to animals.
Gratuitous violence, cruelty, or horror.
No scenes encouraging alcohol consumption, drug addiction or smoking.
No vulgarity, obscenity, depravity or double entendres.
No scenes degrading women (despite many sexist movies being certified), including sexual violence (as much as possible).
No denigration by race, religion or other social group.
No promotion of sectarian, radicialism, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-national attitudes.
Relations with foreign countries should not be affected.
No national symbols or emblems, except in accordance with the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (12 of 1950).
The CBFC faces criticism from filmmakers and the general Indian public for what is viewed as arbitrary censorship or "censorship raj" (lit.'Censorship rule'), for demanding extensive cuts in films touching on caste, mythology, politics, and sensitive events. Filmmakers have criticized abuse of the CBFC towards partisan political ends, the presence of corruption in the board's certification process, and outdated laws such as the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
CBFC chairpersons, Leela Samson and Pahlaj Nihalani have both claimed of political pressure from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the certification process during their terms, which the ministry has denied. Leela Samson also resigned from her chairperson role in CBFC, in protest of political interference in the board's work in 2015. Samson was replaced by Pahlaj Nihalani, whose Bharatiya Janata Party affiliation triggered a wave of additional board resignations with claims of lowered tolerance within the board for anything politically inflammable or inconvenient. The abolition of FCAT in 2021, is also criticized for imposing more stringent enforcement of censorship on films.
The CBFC has been criticized for refusing to certify movies to prevent damaging India's relationship with other countries, such as investigative documentary No Fire Zone: In the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka and movies Porkalathil Oru Poo and Neelam, in view of protecting the diplomatic relationship between India and Sri Lanka. CBFC guidelines require films to avoid straining India's relationship with other nations. It has also been criticized for acting in favor of corporate entities, for example denying certification of the film "Charlie and the Coca Cola Company: Quit India" in 2016, in which cola companies were accused of abusing ground water, rivers, land, livelihoods, and Indian law.
↑rediff. com Entertainment Bureau Staff reporter (8 October 2003). "Anupam Kher is new chief of censors". Rediff Movies. rediff. com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
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