Certification records of more than 500 films at the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) have been exposed due to a leakage. The leaked documents include shooting scripts, cut orders and distribution agreements. Luckily, they were not the films themselves. The records are available for download via the Internet Archive, a non-profit digital library which preserves online content.
The CBFC is investigating the serious breach and has ordered a security audit. A complaint has been filed with cyber crime authorities.
While the censor scripts and certification details don’t reveal everything about a film’s plot or production, they can still give away information which producers may not want to be publicly available before a film’s release or ever. Some exposed records included local distribution agreements for some foreign films. At least three agreements revealed fees paid for licensing films. The agreements could also contain commercially sensitive details such as revenue-sharing arrangements, intellectual property rights, promotional obligations, and conditions around a film’s storyline or production.
The Board uses an online portal called e-Cinepramaan for its certification activities with film producers submitting their documents through this platform while applying for certification. The leaked documents were reportedly accessed through this very portal.