Politics · India · 11 hrs ago
Kerala film chamber opposes CBFC power to change film titles
The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce opposes a new CBFC advisory on film titles.
The advisory says a title submitted by a producer is not final and can be reviewed or changed during certification.
The CBFC says titles must meet rules under India’s film certification law and regulations.
The chamber says title registration and publicity clearance have long been handled by regional film chambers, and that titles are screened for offensive or obscene words.
It warns that a late change could add costs and uncertainty for film producers, who use titles to promote movies from early in production.
The chamber has asked the CBFC to reconsider the title clause and says it will follow the advisory’s other rules, including submitting films in complete form.
The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce has asked the Central Board of Film Certification to reconsider its advisory allowing film titles to be reviewed and changed during certification.
The CBFC advisory says a title submitted by a producer is not final or approved just because it has been submitted or registered.
The chamber says late title changes could impose costs and create uncertainty for the film industry.
It says titles are registered after screening and that early title approval supports promotion from pre-production onward.
The chamber said it would follow the advisory’s other guidelines, including submitting films in complete and final form.
- Who
- The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
- What
- The KFCC opposes the CBFC advisory allowing film titles to be reviewed or modified during certification. It has asked the CBFC to reconsider that clause.
- When
- The advisory was dated October 26, 2026. The report was published on November 9, 2026.
- Where
- Kerala, India; the advisory concerns film certification in India.
- Why
- The KFCC says late title changes could impose financial burdens and disrupt promotion. It says titles are registered after screening.
Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce
Central Board of Film Certification
Title approval
Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce
The KFCC says title registration follows screening and that a fixed title is needed for promotion from pre-production onward.
Central Board of Film Certification
The CBFC says a title given in a certification application is not final or approved merely because it was submitted or registered.
Changes during certification
Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce
The KFCC says last-minute changes would impose costs and cause difficulty and uncertainty for the industry.
Central Board of Film Certification
The CBFC says titles remain open to scrutiny, review and modification by examining or revising committees under the applicable rules.
A Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directive entrusted regional film chambers with publicity clearance and title registration of movies.
The CBFC issued a five-point advisory stating that submitted film titles were not final and could be reviewed or modified.
The Hindu reported that the KFCC had written to the CBFC asking it to reconsider the title-related clause.
- Advisory date
- October 26, 2026
- Issuing body
- Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC)
- Opposing body
- Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC)
- Relevant law
- Section 5B(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952
- Relevant rule
- Rule 25 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024
- Chamber position
- Abide by the advisory’s other guidelines, including submitting films in complete and final form
What people are saying
A film’s journey began long before it reached the certification stage, and a fixed title was essential for various promotional activities during the pre-production, shooting and pre-release phases
We have been diligently following the procedure over the decades, which includes granting title registration for proposed projects. Titles of movies are approved only after thorough screening to avoid the use of offensive, degrading or obscene words.