The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, tasked with regulating the public exhibition of films. It was originally formed as the Central Board of Film Censors on January 15, 1951, and was reconstituted under the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The name was changed to the Central Board of Film Certification in 1983. The CBFC's primary function is to certify films for public viewing, which is mandatory for all films screened in cinemas and on television.
The mechanism of the CBFC is governed by the Cinematograph Act, 1952, which empowers the Board to examine films and issue certificates based on their suitability for different audiences. Section 5B(1) of the Act outlines the principles for certification, prohibiting films that threaten the sovereignty and integrity of India, compromise state security, or violate decency and morality. The Board issues four main categories of certificates: 'U' (unrestricted public exhibition), 'U/A' (unrestricted with parental guidance), 'A' (restricted to adults), and 'S' (restricted to specialized audiences).
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced significant changes to the 1952 Act. The amendment replaced the previous 'U/A' category with three age-based sub-categories: 'UA 7+', 'UA 13+', and 'UA 16+'. It also made CBFC certificates perpetually valid, removing the earlier requirement for renewal every 10 years. Furthermore, the 2023 amendment deleted the Central Government's revisional powers over certified films, aligning the statute with the Supreme Court's position in K.M. Shankarappa v. Union of India (2000), which held that the executive cannot re-adjudicate a film certified by the expert body. The amendment also introduced strict anti-piracy provisions, criminalizing unauthorized recording and exhibition of films. The Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), which previously heard appeals against CBFC decisions, was scrapped by the government in 2021.