Saurabh Mukherjee
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has objected to the proposed screening of a documentary on activist Umar Khalid at the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad, saying that exhibiting an uncertified film publicly would violate the Cinematograph Act unless an exemption had been obtained.
The documentary, Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, directed by filmmaker Lalit Vachani, was scheduled to be screened at the KRB Auditorium on the IIIT-Hyderabad campus at 8 pm on September 18.
The film traces Khalid’s life and political journey, including his arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in September 2020 and his continuing incarceration in the case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.
In a post on X on Thursday (September 17), the CBFC tagged IIIT-Hyderabad and called on its authorities to take action over the proposed screening.
“Public Screening of a Documentary film that has not yet been Certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act. Authorities of @iiit_hyderabad may take note for necessary action,” read the CBFC statement.
The Board also shared a screenshot that appeared to be an email circular announcing the screening at the institute.
In response to a question about the screening of uncertified films by film clubs, the CBFC said, “There is a well laid out process for seeking exemptions and obtaining the same from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.”
The Board did not respond to a subsequent question from the same user: “But, if one believed that the ministry would grant exemption to screen a documentary critical of this govt, wouldn’t one just apply for certification to the CBFC?”
The documentary is based on archival footage and personal accounts and is directed by Vachani. The proposed screening at IIIT-Hyderabad came days after a planned showing at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru was postponed following objections from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and associated activists, according to reports.
The CBFC’s intervention was followed by IIIT-Hyderabad distancing itself from the event. The institute said neither it nor any of its recognised student bodies had organised or hosted the proposed screening. Reports said the student organisers subsequently cancelled the event.
The controversy comes shortly after the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reconstituted the CBFC with 18 members on September 16. The government’s notification confirms the reconstitution and the appointment of the new members.
The new board includes actors Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi and Prasenjit Chatterjee, among other film and cultural personalities.
Actor Rupali Ganguly and singer Hans Raj Hans, both associated with the BJP, have also been appointed, while actor-producer Pallavi Joshi, who produced The Kashmir Files with her husband Vivek Agnihotri, is among the members. Agnihotri had served on the previous CBFC board.
The latest dispute has brought renewed attention to the scope of CBFC authority over screenings outside conventional theatrical exhibition, as well as questions around exemptions for uncertified films and the space for documentary screenings at educational institutions.
The documentary, Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, directed by filmmaker Lalit Vachani, was scheduled to be screened at the KRB Auditorium on the IIIT-Hyderabad campus at 8 pm on September 18.
The film traces Khalid’s life and political journey, including his arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in September 2020 and his continuing incarceration in the case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.
In a post on X on Thursday (September 17), the CBFC tagged IIIT-Hyderabad and called on its authorities to take action over the proposed screening.
“Public Screening of a Documentary film that has not yet been Certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act. Authorities of @iiit_hyderabad may take note for necessary action,” read the CBFC statement.
Public Screening of a Documentary film that has not yet been Certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act. Authorities of @iiit_hyderabad may take note for necessary action. pic.twitter.com/KeZlkbqrFn
— CBFC केंद्रीय फिल्म प्रमाणन बोर्ड (@CBFC_Bharat) September 17, 2026
The Board also shared a screenshot that appeared to be an email circular announcing the screening at the institute.
In response to a question about the screening of uncertified films by film clubs, the CBFC said, “There is a well laid out process for seeking exemptions and obtaining the same from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.”
The Board did not respond to a subsequent question from the same user: “But, if one believed that the ministry would grant exemption to screen a documentary critical of this govt, wouldn’t one just apply for certification to the CBFC?”
The documentary is based on archival footage and personal accounts and is directed by Vachani. The proposed screening at IIIT-Hyderabad came days after a planned showing at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru was postponed following objections from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and associated activists, according to reports.
The CBFC’s intervention was followed by IIIT-Hyderabad distancing itself from the event. The institute said neither it nor any of its recognised student bodies had organised or hosted the proposed screening. Reports said the student organisers subsequently cancelled the event.
The controversy comes shortly after the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reconstituted the CBFC with 18 members on September 16. The government’s notification confirms the reconstitution and the appointment of the new members.
The new board includes actors Preity Zinta, Suniel Shetty, Pankaj Tripathi and Prasenjit Chatterjee, among other film and cultural personalities.
Actor Rupali Ganguly and singer Hans Raj Hans, both associated with the BJP, have also been appointed, while actor-producer Pallavi Joshi, who produced The Kashmir Files with her husband Vivek Agnihotri, is among the members. Agnihotri had served on the previous CBFC board.
The latest dispute has brought renewed attention to the scope of CBFC authority over screenings outside conventional theatrical exhibition, as well as questions around exemptions for uncertified films and the space for documentary screenings at educational institutions.
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