I&B Ministry
SC tells DD to air show warning about Blue Whale
NEW DELHI: Amidst reports of suicides reportedly caused by the Blue Whale online game, public broadcaster Doordarshan has been asked by the Supreme Court to conceive and air a cautionary and educational programme on its dangers.
DD was given a week’s time to prepare the programme that should be of at least ten minutes and should be telecast at prime time.
A bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra with justices DY Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar said, “Anything that threatens life should be condemned.” The case by a 73-year old Chennai advocate N S Ponnaiah has been posted for further hearing on 15 November 2017.
“Suffice to say that the Blue Whale game is dangerous to life. What endangers life has to be condemned and not allowed,” Misra observed.
The court asked DD to script the programme in consultation with the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Welfare Department, Human Resource and Development and Information Broadcasting, and Information Technology.
The court also directed the government to see to it that private channels also telecast the programme.
“The idea behind the programme is to make parents and children aware of the dangers of online games like Blue Whale. The message of the programme should be that children should not be trapped by the game. There are children who are lonely and frustrated. Definitely visuals will have more impact,” Chief Justice Misra said.
According to additional solicitor general PS Narasimha, a committee constituted by the Ministry of Information Technology found that around 28 cases have been traced to have links with Blue Whale game. A probe was on and a complete picture of the extent and means of the game would be ascertained in the next three weeks.
The Centre was determined to “stop the game”, which has the potentiality to destroy life. The government had communicated to many agencies and online platforms to check and inform on the availability and use of the game.
The commission has told school authorities to thoroughly verify the background of teachers and non-teaching staff before hiring them.
The Blue Whale challenge is a game created by Russian national Philipp Budeikin, 22, in which a set of instructions tell the players to harm themselves and eventually commit suicide. Budeikin is now in jail.
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.
