If you’ve watched an Indian movie, you must have noticed a certificate that always pops up before a movie starts. That’s the mark of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), also known as the Censor Board.
The CBFC is part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and is tasked with regulating films released in India. While the CBFC isn’t exactly a film censoring body, it does have the power to demand cuts it deems necessary.
The CBFC frequently comes under fire from the film industry for its practices, and its authority has been questioned. But before that, it's important to know what exactly the CBFC is and why it is controversial. So, dive in to know all about the CBFC, its history, significance, functioning, and controversies.
History of the CBFC?
The CBFC stands for the Central Board of Film Certification and is commonly called the Censor Board. The CBFC is tasked with regulating the public exhibition of films under the provisions of the Cinematograph Act 1952.
Censorship boards were formed after the production of India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra. Initially, they were independent bodies under the police chiefs of major cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, and Lahore.
After India’s independence in 1947, the regional censor bodies were merged into one: the Bombay Board of Film Censors, which later became the Central Board of Film Censors after the Cinematograph Act of 1952. And in 1983, after the revision of cinematography rules, it was changed to the Central Board of Film Certification.
Since then, CBFC’s main role has been to certify feature films meant for theatrical release, advertisements, and short films. Its current head is Prasoon Joshi.
The CBFC criteria for film certification
CBFC issues four types of certificates to films, which are listed below.
U Certificate
The U certification stands for unrestricted public exhibition. People of all age groups can freely watch U-certified films. Most animated and socially relevant films fall under this category.
U/A Certificate
U/A Certification is intended for films that contain moderate amounts of profanity and violence. The majority of movies, especially action and thrillers, fall under this category. U/A-certified films are deemed unsuitable for children under the age of 12 and require an adult guardian with them.
A Certificate
A-certified films are strictly meant for adults only. Many horror movies and Hollywood films end up receiving A-certification. These films often contain extreme violence, drug use, and cuss words. However, the CBFC can still put some restrictions on such films if they degrade women, or any social group, or contain nudity.
S Certificate
S-certified films are a rarity. These films are not meant for public viewing and are only seen by particular groups associated with them, like engineers, doctors, scientists, etc.
Can CBFC censor content?
As evident from its 1983 name change, the CBFC doesn’t have the power to censor films. It can only certify them. However, the CBFC has laid out some guidelines for all films to follow. These include violence against women, inciting communal tensions, threatening the sovereignty of the nation, etc.
Criticisms of the CBFC
Even though the CBFC doesn’t have the power to censor, it has withheld certification from certain films. This has happened six times since 2014. Filmmakers argue the board’s decisions violate freedom of expression, while CBFC argues that the films under question were harmful to society. Udta Punjab and Lipstick Under My Burkha were two films that were initially denied certification by the CBFC.
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