No drug warning, no certification: Centre tweaks film rules
What's the story
The Indian government has introduced a new rule that mandates the inclusion of anti-drug warnings in films that depict drug use or trafficking. The warning, "Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs," will be required in scenes showing the consumption, use, or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. This change was announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday under the Cinematograph Act, reported PTI.
Certification changes
Changes in film certification guidelines
The new rule marks a change from the previous film certification guidelines that required the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to ensure no scenes encouraged or glamorized drug addiction.
However, these earlier rules did not specify an on-screen warning.
Last month, the ministry also asked OTT platforms to prominently display the same warning during scenes involving consumption or use of narcotic drugs, and a similar advisory was issued to private satellite television channels.
CBFC updates
Recent updates on CBFC
The film certification guidelines define the principles that the CBFC must follow when screening films for public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act.
These guidelines were last updated in May 2025 to include three age-based parental guidance categories: U/A 7, U/A 13, and U/A 16.
On Wednesday, the government also reconstituted the CBFC with a new 18-member board including actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, and Suniel Shetty, among others.