The I & B ministry on 16th September issued guidelines for certification of films by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Most of the guidelines are those which the CBFC has been following over the years.
The I & B ministry’s guidelines are as under.
The objectives of film certification
1. The objectives of film certification shall be to ensure that –
(a) the medium of film remains responsible and sensitive to the values and standards of society;
(b) artistic expression and creative freedom are not unduly curbed;
(c) certification is responsive to social change;
(d) the medium of film provides clean and healthy entertainments; and
(e) as far as possible, the film is of aesthetic value and cinematically of a good standard.
2. In pursuance of the objectives under paragraph 1, the Board of Film Certification shall ensure that –
(a) anti-social activities such as violence are not glorified or justified;
(b) the modus operandi of criminals, other visuals or words likely to incite the commission of any offence are not depicted;
(c) scenes:
(i) showing involvement of children in violence as victims or as perpetrators or as forced witnesses to violence, or showing children as being subjected to any form of child abuse;
(ii) showing abuse or ridicule of physically and mentally handicapped persons; and
(iii) showing cruelty to or abuse of, animals are not presented needlessly.
(d) pointless or avoidable scenes of violence, cruelty and horror, scenes of violence primarily intended to provide entertainment and such scenes as may have the effect of desensitising or dehumanising people are not shown;
(e) scenes which have the effect of justifying or glorifying drinking are not shown;
(f) scenes tending to encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction are not shown;
(g) scenes tending to encourage, justify or glamorise consumption of tobacco or smoking are not shown;
(h) scenes depicting or involving the consumption, use, or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances are accompanied by the following statutory warning or disclaimer:
“Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”
(i) human sensibilities are not offended by vulgarity, obscenity or depravity;
(j) such dual meaning words obviously cater to baser instincts are not allowed;
(k) scenes degrading or denigrating women in any manner are not presented;
(l) scenes involving sexual violence against women like attempt to rape, rape or any form of molestation, or scenes of a similar nature are avoided, and if any such incident is germane to the theme, they shall be reduced to the minimum and no details are shown;
(m) scenes showing sexual perversions shall be avoided and if such matters are germane to the theme, they shall be reduced to the minimum and no details are shown;
(n) visuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups are not presented;
(o) visuals or words which promote communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-national attitudes are not presented;
(p) the sovereignty and integrity of India is not called in question;
(q) the security of the State is not jeopardised or endangered;
(r) friendly relations with foreign States are not strained;
(s) public order is not endangered;
(t) visuals or words involving defamation of an individual or a body of individuals, or contempt of Court are not presented.
Explanation – Scenes that tend to create scorn, disgrace or disregard of rules or undermine the dignity of Court shall come under the term “contempt of court”; and
(u) National symbols and emblems are not shown except in accordance with the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 (12 of 1950).
3. The Board of Film Certification shall also ensure that the film:
(a) is judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impacts; and
(b) is examined in the light of the period depicted in the film and the contemporary standards of the country and the people to which the film relates, provided that the film does not deprave the morality of the audience.
4. Films that meet the abovementioned criteria but are considered unsuitable for exhibition to non-adults shall be certified for exhibition to adult audiences only.
5. (a) While certifying films for unrestricted public exhibition, the Board shall ensure that the film is suitable for family viewing, that is to say, the film should be such that all the members of the family including children can view it together.