Hindi
Govt may mandate CBFC certification for OTT films after Satluj row: Report
Report says Centre is considering IT Rules changes and action against Zee5 over alleged streaming of uncertified film
NEW DELHI: The Centre is considering making Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approval mandatory for films released directly on OTT platforms following the controversy surrounding Satluj, India Today reported, citing government sources.
The proposal could require filmmakers to obtain a CBFC certificate before premiering films on streaming services through amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules.
According to the report, the move is being examined after Satluj, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was streamed and publicly screened without CBFC certification.
The sources said screening an uncertified film is legally impermissible and that state governments are responsible for initiating criminal proceedings against unauthorised public screenings. They also said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), or the Centre, has the authority to direct the removal of uncertified films from streaming platforms, and exercised that power in the case of Satluj.
The Centre is also considering action against Zee5 for allegedly streaming an uncertified version of the film, although no official decision has been announced.
The development comes a day after the Centre asked state governments to take legal action wherever Satluj is being screened without the required certification, according to the report.
The film was removed from Zee5 in India shortly after its release. Following the takedown, actor Diljit Dosanjh urged audiences to watch the film despite its removal from the platform.
Satluj has since been screened at community events organised at gurdwaras across several states, with organisers saying the initiative aims to keep Khalra’s story alive despite the OTT takedown.
