I&B Ministry
Russian delegation visits I&B ministry to discuss cooperation in the sphere of media
MUMBAI: A Russian Delegation led by the Russian Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, H.E Alexey Volin, including the Ambassador of Russian Federation to India, H.E. Nikolay Kudashev and other delegates met Ministry of I&B secretary Amit Khare on Friday.
It was mutually agreed during the meeting that an Annual Indo-Russian Forum for Media Cooperation be organized alternately in India and Russia in order to institutionalize the process of cooperation between the two countries in the media and entertainment sector. Television, news agencies, digital distribution platforms, new media, news gathering, co-production of programmes, sharing of content and exchange of professionals were identified as possible areas of collaboration.
The need to forge strong connections between the young journalists of the two countries was also highlighted in the meeting.
During the discussion, Amit Khare stated that the Golden Jubilee edition of the International Film Festival of India scheduled to be held later this year offers an opportunity to countries to showcase their creativity and cinematic excellence on a global platform. He extended an invitation to the Russian Delegation to participate in the Festival.
H.E. Alexey Volin talked about the immense popularity of Indian films in Russia and mentioned about a 24-hour channel dedicated solely to Indian films, currently operational in Russia.
The meeting was also attended by Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO, Prasar Bharati; Sitanshu Kar, Principal DG, PIB; Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of I&B; Supriya Sahu, DG, Doordarshan; F. Shehryar, DG, All India Radio; Mayank Agrawal, DG, DD News; Chaitanya Prasad, Addl. DG, Directorate of Film Festivals and JP Mattu Singh, Addl. DG, AIR News.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI:Â The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
