New CBFC rules mandate anti-drug warning in films depicting drug use

Films showing the consumption, use or trafficking of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances will now have to carry a mandatory anti-drug warning under revised film certification guidelines notified by the Centre.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified the amended guidelines on September 16 under the Cinematograph Act. The warning to be displayed during such scenes will read: “Illicit Narcotics Destroy Health and Guarantees Imprisonment. Say No to Drugs.”

The requirement adds a specific on-screen warning to the existing rules governing the depiction of drugs in films. Earlier, the guidelines required the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to ensure that scenes tending to “encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction” were not shown, but did not prescribe a specific warning.

The move comes after the ministry last month directed OTT platforms to prominently display the same warning during scenes depicting the consumption or use of narcotic drugs. A similar advisory was also issued to private satellite television channels.

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The film certification guidelines set out the principles that the CBFC must follow while examining films for public exhibition under the Cinematograph Act.

The guidelines were last amended in May 2025, when the government incorporated three age-based parental guidance categories — U/A 7+, U/A 13+ and U/A 16+ — into the framework.

These categories were introduced following amendments to the Cinematograph Act in 2023 and advise parental guidance for children below seven, 13 and 16 years, respectively.

The guidelines also require the CBFC to ensure that anti-social activities such as violence are not glorified or justified, criminal methods likely to incite offences are not depicted, and scenes encouraging, justifying or glamorising drug addiction are not shown.

They also cover the depiction of violence, cruelty and sexual content, along with matters that could affect public order, the security of the State or India's relations with foreign countries.

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The latest change to the film certification rules comes days after the Centre reconstituted the CBFC on Wednesday.

Actors Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Suniel Shetty, Pallavi Joshi and Prosenjit Chatterjee, filmmaker Priyadarshan and Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej are among those appointed to the new 18-member board.

The CBFC is headed by chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati. The reconstituted board has been given a three-year term or will continue until further orders, whichever is earlier.

(With inputs from PTI)