CBFC enforces 68-day certification rule only to delay Padmavati, other films suffer

The 68-day submission rule for all movies that apply for a certificate had thrown the workings of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) into a frightful tizzy. And now, in a major turn-around, the rule has been relaxed after major protests from producers, who had release dates but no certificates.

Says a source from the CBFC, “We have now formed a separate queue for films that have already announced their release date and would miss it if we implement the 68-day period as per guidelines. We want to ensure that none of the movies up for certification miss their release.”

Sources from the CBFC say that there are close to 250 feature films, short films, advertisements, trailers, teasers and songs that are waiting to be certified. And all because of the implementation of the new guideline.

An angry producer, who has a release coming up this week, says that the rule was implemented only to “hold back” Padmavati. “The 68-day rule was there all along, but never implemented, because everyone knows it’s impossible for most producers to submit complete films that much in advance. Now, suddenly, when Padmavati was to be released, the CBFC has decided it had to strictly implement the dormant rule. This meant that all releases this Friday, including Kapil Sharma’s Firangi, Sunny Leone’s Tera Intezaar, Hollywood release Murder on the Orient Express and others would have had to be delayed, only so Padmavati can be stopped on December 1,” the irate producer says.

After the uproar over the rule and questions on if Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai would also be denied certification in time, the CBFC has swiftly come up with a “separate queue” for films with release dates short of the 68-day certification period.