I&B Ministry
MIB appoints Prithul Kumar as interim NFDC managing director
Mumbai: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has appointed Prithul Kumar as interim NFDC managing director, effective immediately, replacing NFDC MD Ravinder Bhakar.
MIB issued an order dated 11 January 2023, with the approval of Anurag Thakur.
The order being circulated states that “Prithul Kumar, working as joint secretary (films) in the ministry of information & broadcasting is hereby given the additional charge of managing director, National Film Development Corp. (NFDC) with immediate effect for a period of 06 (six) months or till the appointment of a regular MD or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. He will continue to discharge all responsibilities as joint secretary (films) in the ministry of information & broadcasting.”
Prithul Kumar comes from the railways, as did his predecessor Bhakar. Bhakar is a 1999 batch officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS), and Kumar is from the 2000 batch of IRTS (Indian Railway Traffic Service), a prestigious Group A civil service cadre of the central government.
Kumar, on the other hand, will only be filling the void left by Bhakar’s departure for six months, beginning January 11, 2023, or until a permanent managing director is assigned. Kumar, who was then the executive director and joint director of mechanical engineering (computerisation and information systems) at the Railway Board, was appointed joint secretary of MIB for a five-year term in August 2022.
In June 2020, Bhakar was appointed the CBFC’s CEO. In addition to his responsibilities as the CEO of the organisation that certifies films, he was given three additional responsibilities in December 2021: managing director (MD) of the NFDC, director general of the films division (FD), and director of the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI).
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.
