U, UA, A, S: how film certification works in India and what the new UA age bands mean

Before a film can be shown in Indian cinemas, it needs a certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), often called the censor board. The board works under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and draws its powers from the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

The certificate categories

• U (Unrestricted): suitable for public exhibition to all audiences.
• UA: suitable for all, but children below a specified age should watch with parental guidance.
• A (Adults only): restricted to viewers aged 18 and above.
• S: restricted to a specialised audience, such as doctors or scientists, for films made for a professional group.

The new UA age bands

The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 split the UA category into three age-based sub-categories:

• UA 7+
• UA 13+
• UA 16+

The number tells parents the age below which a child should watch the film with parental guidance. These markers are advisory for parents and guardians, not an entry ban like the A certificate. The idea is to give families more precise information than a single UA label could.

How a film gets certified

A producer applies to a CBFC regional office with the film and paperwork. An examining committee watches the film and recommends a category. It may ask for cuts or modifications, or for disclaimers, before granting a certificate. If the producer disagrees, the film can go to a revising committee.

The 2023 amendment also changed how certificates work. CBFC certificates are now valid permanently rather than for a limited period, and the Act strengthened provisions against film piracy, including unauthorised recording in cinemas.

Television and the ratings

Films shown on TV need certification suitable for television, and broadcasters follow the Programme Code under cable television rules. A film rated A for cinemas may be edited for TV broadcast.

What about OTT platforms?

Streaming platforms do not need CBFC certificates. They follow the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which require online curated content providers to self-classify titles into age bands such as U, U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+ and A, display content descriptors, and offer parental locks for content rated U/A 13+ and above. Complaints go first to the platform, then to a self-regulatory body, and finally to an oversight mechanism under the ministry.

What the board can object to

The CBFC does not judge whether a film is good or bad. Its examiners check films against guidelines issued under the Cinematograph Act. These largely mirror the "reasonable restrictions" on free speech in Article 19(2) of the Constitution: the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court, and incitement to an offence.

Within those limits, the guidelines also ask examiners to look at how scenes are presented. Examples include gratuitous violence, cruelty to animals, content that glorifies drug use, and scenes that denigrate women or any social group. Context matters: a war film may show violence that would be cut from a comedy.

Appeals: from tribunal to High Court

For decades, producers unhappy with a CBFC decision could appeal to the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT). In 2021, the government abolished the tribunal as part of a wider merger of tribunals. Producers who disagree with the board now have to approach a High Court, which is slower and more expensive, especially for small producers. Film bodies criticised the change at the time.

Online applications

Producers now apply for certification online through the CBFC's e-Cinepramaan portal, which tracks the application from submission to the certificate. The certificate is shown on screen before the film starts, and it includes the film's length and the category.

What cinemas must do

Theatres are expected to enforce the A rating, which means checking age and refusing entry to under-18s. In practice, enforcement varies. For UA films, the age band is advice for parents, and a cinema cannot stop a child from watching with a parent.

Trailers and songs need certificates too

It is not only feature films. Trailers, promos and song videos shown in cinemas also need a CBFC certificate, and a trailer shown before a family film should carry a rating suitable for that audience. That is why you sometimes see a short certificate card flash on screen before a trailer.

Online-only trailers released on YouTube or social media do not need CBFC certification, but platforms have their own policies on age-restricted content, and promotional material for OTT shows follows the IT Rules.

Using ratings as a parent

• Check the rating and the content descriptors before booking.
• On OTT apps, set up a profile for children and turn on the parental PIN.
• Treat UA age bands as guidance: you know your child best.