Archive · 18 Sep 2026
India Revises Film Certification Rules, Prompting Censorship Backlash
India has created new rules for deciding which films can be shown in cinemas.
The rules replace guidelines that had been used since 1991.
They say films should not celebrate violence, crime, drugs or smoking.
They also limit graphic portrayals of sexual violence and harmful treatment of children or vulnerable people.
Films must avoid attacking religious or racial groups and must not threaten public order or national security.
The film board is told to judge a movie as a whole rather than focusing only on separate scenes.
The existing age-rating system will remain, and unrestricted films should be suitable for families to watch together.
Some filmmakers and viewers worry the rules could become a tool for censorship.
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting replaced the 1991 film-certification guidelines with revised rules.
The new provisions restrict glorification of violence, crime, drugs, smoking, sexual violence and harmful treatment of vulnerable groups.
Films must avoid content targeting communities, threatening national security or public order, defaming people or undermining courts.
The guidelines retain age-based UA ratings and require unrestricted films to be suitable for whole-family viewing.
Filmmakers and cinephiles criticized the rules online, arguing they could restrict creative and sociopolitical filmmaking.
- Who
- India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued the revised guidelines, which will be applied by the film-certification board; filmmakers and cinephiles criticized them.
- What
- India revised its film-certification framework, adding or clarifying restrictions on violence, drugs, sexual content, treatment of communities, national security and court-related material.
- When
- The revisions were issued on Thursday; no date was specified.
- Where
- India, for films seeking certification for exhibition in Indian cinemas.
- Why
- The ministry replaced the 1991 guidelines and said certification should balance social responsibility with creative freedom.
Government’s stated safeguards
Critics’ censorship concerns
Creative freedom and social responsibility
Government’s stated safeguards
The revised framework tells the board to protect social values and public sensitivity while avoiding unnecessary limits on artistic expression.
Critics’ censorship concerns
Critics argue the restrictions could give authorities an excuse to censor films that question exploitation or address political and social issues.
Limits on sensitive content
Government’s stated safeguards
The guidelines seek to prevent glorification of violence, drugs and smoking, while minimizing graphic sexual violence and protecting children and vulnerable groups.
Critics’ censorship concerns
Critics broadly accept concerns about excessive violence and sexual-violence imagery but say restrictions involving courts, foreign relations and other subjects could make sociopolitical films difficult to produce.
Public and family viewing standards
Government’s stated safeguards
The board must assess films by their overall impact, relevant historical period and contemporary standards, with unrestricted films suitable for family viewing.
Critics’ censorship concerns
Some cinephiles say this could result in sanitized films and reduce audiences’ willingness to pay to see movies in multiplexes.
- Issuing authority
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
- Previous framework
- 1991 film-certification guidelines
- Key restrictions
- Glorification of violence, crime, drugs or smoking, and graphic sexual violence
- Board’s approach
- Films should be judged in their entirety and in the context of their period and contemporary standards
- Age ratings
- The existing age-based UA system is retained
- Family viewing
- Unrestricted films should be suitable for the whole family, including children
- Public reaction
- Critics on X described the rules as censorship and warned they could hinder sociopolitical filmmaking