I&B Ministry
Radio City starts offering locally relevant content at metro stations
MUMBAI: Giving a new dimension to travel entertainment, Radio City 91.1 FM, a leading radio network, has partnered with LMRC (Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation) to offer specialised content across all stations.
The service, inaugurated by the home minister Rajnath Singh and the UP chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath, the Lucknow Metro will make commute trendier.
Radio City has partnered with LMRC to create customised content packages during peak and off-peak hours respectively which comprises songs, jingles and a special trivia from ‘City ke Kone Kone Se’ to integrate Radio City’s ideology of ‘Rag Rag Mein Daude City’.
A TOH jingle has been specially composed and produced in house for Radio City LMRC that will be integrated on an hourly basis. In tandem with Radio City’s terrestrial music strategy of offering mood-mapped music, the playlist will be topical and in sync with the city’s listener’s preferences. An all-encompassing capsule, the content created will be a healthy mix of local happenings and music, refreshed every fortnight.
Radio City 91.1FM CEO Abraham Thomas said, “Radio City has been a pioneer in launching path breaking initiatives and Radio City LMRC is a testimony that reflects our leadership stance.”
Radio City surprised Lucknowites with a special message from actor and singer Farhan Akhtar on air during their first metro ride in the city.
Akhtar said, “Music and travel go hand in hand I believe every metro rider will enjoy the interim journey to the fullest.”
To kick off proceedings, Radio City installed a studio set-up at Char Bagh metro station where Radio City RJs will broadcast their shows live. In addition to this, Radio City has also created selfie zones across all eight metro stations where commuters can click and post it on their social media pages tagging Radio City and stand a chance to win a free monthly pass of Lucknow Metro.
This partnership further amplifies Radio City’s brand philosophy of “Rag Rag Mein Daude City” by providing locally relevant content.
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: 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.
