New Delhi: The Central Board of Film Certification has issued a five-point advisory directing filmmakers and producers to submit films in their complete and final form for certification. The board has also clarified that announcing a theatrical release date will not guarantee faster certification.
The advisory, dated 26 October and signed by CBFC Chief Executive Officer Rajendra Singh, has been issued under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024.
It lays down requirements for applicants seeking certification and cautions filmmakers against submitting incomplete or work-in-progress versions of their films.
The five-point advisory
According to the advisory, films submitted for certification must include all final elements, including titles, credits, subtitles, disclaimers, censor certificate slates, background score, music and sound mix.
Applicable accessibility features, such as closed captions, subtitles for the hearing impaired and audio descriptions, must also be incorporated into the final version.
The board has further stated that only the version duly certified by the CBFC can be exhibited in theatres. Applications containing incomplete prints, placeholder graphics, temporary scores or missing elements may be treated as non-compliant, potentially resulting in delays, the return of applications or their rejection.
The advisory also clarifies that the date on which an application is approved as complete will be treated as its official date of receipt. Applications will enter the examination process only after all required documents and formalities have been completed.
Further, film titles mentioned by producers in certification applications or promotional material will not automatically be treated as final.
The advisory also makes it clear that announced theatrical release dates, including the launch dates of trailers and teasers, will not influence the certification process.
Applications will be processed according to the prescribed procedures under the existing rules, irrespective of the release date announced by filmmakers.
Also read: Centre reconstitutes CBFC panel; Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi among members
New CBFC board constituted in September
The advisory comes nearly two months after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reconstituted the 18-member CBFC board on 16 September for a three-year term.
The newly constituted board includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Manoj Joshi, Roopali Ganguly, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Pallavi Joshi.
Music composer Ricky Kej, filmmaker Priyadarshan, singer Hansraj Hans, producer Supriya Yarlagadda and filmmaker Neela Madhab Panda are also among its members.
(Edited by Maryam Hassan)