NEW DELHI – The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has come under scrutiny for the delays and lack of transparency in granting film certifications, causing frustration among filmmakers and hindering the release of several movies in India. The CBFC, once considered a single-window clearance system, has become a crowded and cumbersome process that filmmakers are finding difficult to navigate.
One such film caught in the CBFC’s backlog is the Marathi film ‘Morrya’, which has been awaiting release for months. The filmmaker expressed his anguish at a press conference where he shared his experience with the media, shedding tears as he revealed the Board’s refusal to issue a certification or provide any explanation for the delay, leading to the film missing its scheduled release date in January.
Numerous other films have also been affected, trapped in the labyrinth of the censor board’s bureaucracy. The financial toll on filmmakers, who invest substantial amounts every month throughout the production process, is substantial. The CBFC’s name change from the Central Board of Film Censors to the Central Board of Film Certification was intended to present a less restrictive image, but it has done little to alleviate the challenges faced by filmmakers in getting their films certified in a timely manner.
One issue that has come to light is the prevalence of an unofficial economy within the CBFC, where payments in cash are required in addition to the officially stipulated charges. This illicit practice was exposed by a filmmaker from the South, who revealed that corrupt middlemen operating within the CBFC were extorting extra money from producers. In response, affected filmmakers have accused the Board of corruption, pointing out that it should be the officers attending to the applicants, rather than the middlemen.
Although the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has replaced the CEO and Regional Officer of the CBFC, this change has not led to any significant improvements in the certification process. Films are not being listed for examining committee screenings, throwing release plans and cinema schedules into disarray. The recent case of the Marathi film ‘Morrya’, which had been waiting for a screening date for over two months, exemplifies the ongoing issues faced by filmmakers.
The problem is not limited to corruption among officers but extends to the lack of accountability and face-to-face interactions between the officers responsible for running the system and the applicants. The bureaucratic shuffle within government departments often leaves officers unprepared for their new roles, leading them to outsource their duties to middlemen, further perpetuating the unofficial economy within the CBFC.
In response to the mounting frustration within the film industry, the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA) recently made a representation to the Chairman of the CBFC, Prasoon Joshi. However, the outcome of this meeting remains unclear, with the IMPPA’s press note offering no specifics on the problems discussed or the films affected.
The current situation undermines the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a streamlined and efficient single-window clearance system for filmmakers. The CBFC needs to fulfill its mandate by either granting timely certifications or providing clear reasons for rejection, without unnecessarily withholding films and causing financial losses for producers. Only then can the film industry thrive and contribute to the cultural landscape of the nation.