Government PSAs get more screen time in cinemas after MIB clarification

MUMBAI: Two minutes can now mean four. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has clarified that cinemas can screen up to two minutes each of Central and State Government public service awareness films, effectively allowing up to four minutes of PSAs across the prescribed exhibition slots.

The clarification was issued through an Office Memorandum dated August 5, 2026, following requests from industry stakeholders seeking clarity on the ministry’s November 30, 2023 guidelines for exhibiting PSA films in cinemas.

Under the clarified rules, an approved Central Government PSA can run for up to two minutes, while a State Government PSA can separately run for up to two minutes. The limits therefore apply independently rather than as a combined four-minute ceiling.

The guidelines provide two windows for screening such films: the 10-minute pre-show period before the film begins and the final five minutes of the interval before the second half.

Both Central and State Government PSAs can be accommodated within either of these prescribed windows, subject to the applicable duration limits.

The ministry has also clarified the treatment of shorter PSA films. If a PSA is one minute or less, the same film can be screened in both prescribed slots, provided its total exhibition time does not exceed the two-minute limit under the guidelines.

The clarification follows requests from stakeholders for a more precise interpretation of the rules, particularly around the duration of government awareness films that can be shown in theatres.

The MIB has directed concerned stakeholders to regulate PSA exhibition in cinemas in line with the latest clarification.

For cinema operators, the move removes ambiguity around the two-minute ceiling and provides a clearer framework for scheduling Central and State Government awareness campaigns during pre-show and interval periods.