The new rules also reiterate restrictions on violence, sensitive subjects and content that could affect India’s relations with other countries.

Published on: Sep 18, 2026, 17:08:54 IST

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India’s film certification rules are changing again, with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) bringing in a set of revised guidelines for what can be shown on screen and how certain subjects should be handled. Notified by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on September 16 under the Cinematograph Act, the new rules make anti-drug warnings mandatory in films depicting narcotics, while also reiterating restrictions on violence, sensitive subjects and content that could affect India’s relations with other countries. The changes come alongside the Centre’s reconstitution of the CBFC with a new 18-member board.

Violence, communal content and foreign relations

The revised rules once again make it clear that violence cannot be glorified or shown in a manner that could encourage people to commit offences. Films are also expected to steer clear of explaining criminal methods or processes in detail if such scenes could potentially promote similar acts.

The guidelines also bar content that promotes “communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific or anti-national attitudes.” They further state that films should not "strain India's friendly relations with foreign states."

This particular provision is likely to draw attention in the case of Salman Khan's war drama Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, earlier titled Galwan Attack. The film, centred on the 2020 India-China military clash, has reportedly been awaiting certification amid concerns linked to its China-related content. The delay comes at a time when India and China have been working towards improving bilateral relations.

The board has also been asked to consider whether certain scenes could hurt the "sentiments or sensibilities of people." The guidelines specifically mention the depiction of child abuse and crimes against women, while also cautioning against violence that does not serve a clear purpose in the story.

Anti-drug warnings are now mandatory

One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a mandatory warning for films that show the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. Such scenes will now have to carry the on-screen message: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”

Until now, the CBFC rules focused on ensuring that films did not promote, justify or glamorise drug addiction. There was no standard warning that filmmakers were required to put up when drugs appeared on screen. The revised guidelines now make that warning an official requirement for certification. The change comes soon after similar advisories were issued for OTT platforms and private satellite television channels.

The CBFC is also expected to pay closer attention to film titles under the revised guidelines. Titles that are seen as “provocative, vulgar or offensive” can be flagged by the board.

Social media questions the new rules

The revised CBFC guidelines have also sparked a strong response on X, formerly Twitter, with several users questioning how the new provisions will be implemented and whether they will be applied consistently across films.

One user criticised the CBFC's role altogether, writing, “CBFC is a censor board, not a certification board like it's name claims to be. It needs to be scrapped. Also documentary makers should just release the uncensored versions on platforms that the indian govt cannot control or send takedown notices to.”

Another questioned whether the rules would be applied equally, saying, “They won't follow this for propaganda movies. This is only for the movies they don't want ppl to see. Indian cinema is as good as dead.”

Concerns about selective implementation also came up, with one user commenting, “Going to be followed very selectively and with extreme bias. Not going to add to this.”

A fourth user took a broader view of the changes, writing, “Actually, calling them guidelines seems insincere; edicts would be a better word. Call yourself the Central Board of Film Censorship.”

One more user pointed to the distinction between certification and censorship, writing, “Somebody tell the govt we had discarded the censor board in 1983 and the only objective of CBFC is supposed to be certifying films based on its content and not to censor scenes. We have courts to decide for the latter.”

Another user said, “Ideally conscientious artists in the country should respond unkindly to this. A protest, an open letter. Something. Because what is even this.”

A new CBFC board has been appointed

The revised certification rules come as the Centre has also announced a new CBFC board. The 18-member panel includes actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Pallavi Joshi and Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan and Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej. Shashi Shekhar Vempati will continue as the CBFC chairperson. The new board will have a three-year term, unless the Centre issues further orders before that.

The panel also features filmmaker Neela Madhab Panda, actor Manoj Joshi, singer and former parliamentarian Hans Raj Hans, producer Supriya Yarlagadda, poet Yatindra Mishra, actors Roopali Ganguly and Nishigandha Wad, theatre director Waman Kendre and writer Ramesh Patange.

Age categories and accessibility rules

The CBFC has also been updating its certification system over the past year. In May 2025, three new age categories, U/A 7+, U/A 13+ and U/A 16+, were added following the 2023 amendments to the Cinematograph Act. The categories are meant to give parents a clearer idea of whether a film may be suitable for children below the specified age groups.

Accessibility has also become part of the certification process. From March 15, 2026, Indian films were required to include subtitles and audio descriptions to make content easier to access for viewers with hearing or visual impairments. The move, however, did not go without criticism. Some viewers took to social media to question the requirement, with a few calling it a "distraction" and saying it "ruins the viewing experience".

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