The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has certified 71,963 films in the last five years, with the average certification time for feature films reduced to 22 working days due to an online system. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan shared this information in response to questions from Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.
The CBFC certifies films for public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, based on statutory provisions and guidelines. The number of films certified annually has been increasing, with 8,299 films certified in 2020-21, 12,719 in 2021-22, and 18,070 in 2022-23.
In the years following, the CBFC certified 17,431 films in 2023-24 and 15,444 in 2024-25. The board also suggested cuts or modifications for several films, with the number increasing annually from 1,475 in 2020-21 to 3,033 in 2024-25.
Majority of the films were certified under the ‘U’ and ‘UA’ categories, with 41,817 receiving a ‘U’ certificate, 28,268 under ‘UA,’ and 1,878 with an ‘A’ certificate. Notably, no films were certified under the ‘S’ category. The average certification time for feature films is currently 22 working days, down from the prescribed 48 working days, thanks to the Online Certification System.
