Centre changes CBFC faces, not the rules
The Union government has reconstituted the 18-member film-certification board. Telangana’s Hyderabad office remains under the same framework, because the notification announces appointments—not a cinematic revolution.
The Centre has reconstituted the CBFC board, but the certification framework remains unchanged.
The BJP-led Centre has reconstituted the Central Board of Film Certification with 18 members, effective September 16, 2026. Their term is three years—or until further orders, whichever comes first. Even the tenure comes with an exit clause; government paperwork likes a trapdoor.
The move was made under Section 3(1) of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, read with Rule 3 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Press Information Bureau. The members include Priyadarshan, Suniel Shetty, Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Pallavi Joshi and Prosenjit Chatterjee, among others.
For Telangana, the relevant point is the CBFC’s Hyderabad regional office, whose jurisdiction covers Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Films may be publicly exhibited only after certification, and the current categories remain U, UA, A and S, with UA sub-categories listed as 7+, 13+ and 16+.
The notification announces a new board composition. It announces no new policy on cuts, ratings, certification timelines or any particular film. The Centre has changed the names on the paperwork; Telugu filmmakers are still waiting to see whether anything else changes.