The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 introduces graded age ratings for movies for the first time, allowing viewers — particularly parents — to take more factors into account when they watch a film, or when they let their children go unaccompanied to the cinema. However, the changes fall short of what an expert committee chaired by filmmaker Shyam Benegal recommended to the Union government in 2017, as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) retains its censorship powers, rather than becoming a mere classification authority.
U/A, the classification used by the CBFC to indicate films that can only be watched by minors if they have an adult accompanying them, will be split into three levels, once the Bill becomes law.
The new age ratings are U/A 7+, U/A 13+, and U/A 16+. This means, for instance, that minors who are 14 years old can watch films rated U/A 7+ and U/A 13+ unaccompanied. In theory, this could mean that films that deal with mature content could be released without being given an ‘A’ or adult only certificate, which the film industry usually dislikes due to the limited distribution it entails in cinemas.
