CBFC Cleared Nearly 72,000 Films in Five Years, While Archives Hold Over 10,000

India’s system of film regulation and archival preservation has evolved over more than a century, seeking to balance creative freedom with statutory oversight and long-term conservation of cinematic heritage. Recent statements made in Parliament have once again brought public attention to how films are certified, regulated and preserved in the country.

Film certification in India is governed by the Cinematograph Act, 1952, which came into force after Independence, replacing the colonial-era Cinematograph Act of 1918. The Act provides the legal framework for regulating films intended for public exhibition and led to the establishment of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Under the Act, films are examined on statutory grounds such as the sovereignty and integrity of India, national security, public order, decency, morality, defamation, contempt of court and incitement to offence. Cuts or modifications are recommended only when content is found to violate these legal parameters, and the law also provides filmmakers the right to appeal CBFC decisions before the High Court.

The certification framework has been updated in recent years through the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023, followed by the Cinematograph Certification Rules, 2024. These reforms introduced digital certification processes, age-based sub-categories under UA certification, perpetual validity of certificates and defined timelines, with the government stating that the changes aim to improve transparency and efficiency while protecting creative freedom.

According to information submitted in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan, the CBFC certified 71,963 films during the last five years, from 2020–21 to 2024–25. The government reiterated that the certification process remains rule-based and transparent, while ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Cinematograph Act.

Before the enactment of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, film regulation in India was governed by the Cinematograph Act of 1918, introduced during British rule. Indian cinema itself dates back to 1913 with the release of Raja Harishchandra, and by the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, hundreds of films were being produced annually across the country.

The preservation and reservation of official records and cultural material in India predates Independence. The National Archives of India was established in 1891 as the Imperial Record Department, and sensitive records were restricted from public access from the very beginning. After Independence, India adopted the 30-year rule, under which government records are transferred to archives and opened to researchers after three decades, unless disclosure affects national security or public interest.

The preservation of India’s cinematic heritage is primarily handled by the National Film Archive of India, established in 1964. The archive currently preserves over 10,000 films, including feature films, documentaries, short films and newsreels, covering the early decades of Indian cinema to more recent productions.

In addition to films, the National Film Archive of India holds thousands of film scripts, books, photographs and other related materials. A large number of films made before 1952 are believed to be lost due to nitrate film decay, fires, neglect and the absence of systematic preservation mechanisms in the early years of Indian cinema.

Under the National Film Heritage Mission, the government has undertaken large-scale digitisation and restoration of old films, with more than 1,400 films digitised so far to ensure long-term preservation and access for future generations.

There is no official or comprehensive figure available on the exact number of films made before the Cinematograph Act of 1952 that are currently preserved or reserved. Archival numbers remain dynamic, as new materials continue to be recovered, catalogued and restored.

Together, India’s film certification and archival systems reflect the country’s responsibility to regulate films for public exhibition within constitutional limits, while also preserving cinema as an important cultural and historical record.