CBFC Requires Completed Films, Rejects Release-Date Priority

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has told filmmakers to submit completed films for certification, warning that announced release dates will not secure faster processing and that titles may still change during review. In an advisory dated October 26, 2026, the board said submissions must be complete, with final graphics, titles, credits, disclaimers, music and sound mixes, as well as required accessibility features such as closed captions and audio descriptions. The requirements apply to films submitted under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Cinematograph Certification Rules, 2024. The CBFC said applications containing unfinished prints, placeholder graphics, scratch scores or missing accessibility elements may be treated as noncompliant. They could be delayed, returned to applicants or rejected. The advisory also says an application’s receipt date is recorded only after the submission is deemed complete, meaning filing an incomplete application does not establish its place in the examination queue. The board said neither a planned theatrical release date nor a title used in promotional material makes a film eligible for priority processing or guarantees...