Govt may mandate OTT certification, act against Zee5 amid Satluj row: Sources
The Indian government is considering making CBFC certification mandatory for films released on OTT platforms following the uncertified streaming of Satluj on Zee5.
The Centre is considering making Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approval mandatory for films released directly on OTT platforms, government sources told India Today, amid the controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj.
According to sources, the move is being examined after Satluj was streamed and screened without a CBFC certificate.
Sources said the screening of Satluj without certification was legally impermissible and that it is the responsibility of the respective state governments to initiate criminal proceedings against unauthorised public screenings of the film.
They further claimed that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), or the Centre, had the authority to direct the removal of an uncertified film from a streaming platform, and that such action was taken in the case of Satluj.
Government sources also said action is being considered against Zee5, alleging that the platform streamed an uncertified version of the film. No official decision has been announced so far.
The Centre is also examining whether certification should be made mandatory for all films released on OTT platforms, sources said. The proposal could require filmmakers to obtain a CBFC certificate before premiering their films on streaming services.
According to sources, the government is considering amending the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules to introduce such a requirement.
The development comes a day after the Centre asked state governments to take legal action wherever Satluj is being screened without the required certification, sources said.
Satluj, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was removed from Zee5 shortly after its release in India. Soon after the takedown, Diljit Dosanjh shared a video urging audiences to watch the film despite its removal from the streaming platform.
The film has since been screened at community events organised at gurdwaras across several states, with organisers saying the initiative aims to keep Khalra's story alive despite the OTT takedown.
The Centre is considering making Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approval mandatory for films released directly on OTT platforms, government sources told India Today, amid the controversy surrounding Diljit Dosanjh's Satluj.
According to sources, the move is being examined after Satluj was streamed and screened without a CBFC certificate.
Sources said the screening of Satluj without certification was legally impermissible and that it is the responsibility of the respective state governments to initiate criminal proceedings against unauthorised public screenings of the film.
They further claimed that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), or the Centre, had the authority to direct the removal of an uncertified film from a streaming platform, and that such action was taken in the case of Satluj.
Government sources also said action is being considered against Zee5, alleging that the platform streamed an uncertified version of the film. No official decision has been announced so far.
The Centre is also examining whether certification should be made mandatory for all films released on OTT platforms, sources said. The proposal could require filmmakers to obtain a CBFC certificate before premiering their films on streaming services.
According to sources, the government is considering amending the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules to introduce such a requirement.
The development comes a day after the Centre asked state governments to take legal action wherever Satluj is being screened without the required certification, sources said.
Satluj, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was removed from Zee5 shortly after its release in India. Soon after the takedown, Diljit Dosanjh shared a video urging audiences to watch the film despite its removal from the streaming platform.
The film has since been screened at community events organised at gurdwaras across several states, with organisers saying the initiative aims to keep Khalra's story alive despite the OTT takedown.
