CBFC reconstitutes board and halts Umar Khalid documentary screening

The Indian government has reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with an 18-member panel for a three-year term. The new board, which operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, includes prominent figures from the entertainment industry such as actors Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi, and Prosenjit Chatterjee, as well as filmmaker Priyadarshan and musician Ricky Kej.

Simultaneously, the CBFC intervened to stop a planned campus screening of the documentary ‘Prisoner No. 626710 is Present’ at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad. Directed by Lalit Vachani, the film focuses on jailed activist Umar Khalid. The CBFC stated that publicly exhibiting an uncertified film violates the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption is obtained. Following the board's objection, IIIT Hyderabad Director Sandeep Kumar Shukla announced the cancellation of the event and venue booking, noting that no uncertified screenings would be permitted on campus.

In addition to the board's new composition, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued revised film certification guidelines to replace the 1991 framework. The updated rules aim to balance artistic expression with social responsibility, specifically addressing restrictions on the glorification of violence, crime, and the use of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.