Centre gave no reasons for denying 31 films permission: Kerala minister

Kerala culture minister PC Vishnunadh said on Sunday the Union information and broadcasting ministry had not stated reasons for denying screening permission to 31 films at the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, due in the state capital later this month. He said detailed synopses sought by the Centre were sent the next day, and only a list of approved films was received. Films lacking CBFC certification need ministry permission. Reports say 31 of 347 selected films were denied.

Written by AI from Hindustan Times — India · not yet reviewed by an editor · Published 21 Sept 2026, 9:08 am IST

Source

Hindustan Times — India · read the original report ↗

#idsffk#film festival#censorship#kerala#documentary

Desk check · compared with the source

What the desk checked (5)

The Union information and broadcasting ministry has not stated reasons for denying screening permission to 31 films at the 18th IDSFFK. — Attributed directly to Kerala culture minister PC Vishnunadh, quoted in the source.
Of 347 films selected by the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi for IDSFFK, 31 were denied permission. — Source attributes the figures to unspecified 'reports'; numbers appear in source but sourcing is vague.
Films at such festivals need Union ministry permission as they lack CBFC certification. — Stated as procedural background in the source, no document cited.
Titles denied permission include Sanitised Republic: Cast(e) and Contracts, Parliament Street, Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk, and Globe. — Film names and descriptions appear in the source; not independently verifiable here.
Several films were denied censor exemption at IFFK last year and Kerala screened some anyway. — Presented as background in the source without attribution to a named official.

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Analysts’ view opinion

AI Entertainment Analyst

Festivals are effectively the only exhibition window for documentaries and short films, which rarely get theatrical runs or streaming buys. So withholding permission for 31 titles removes the single realistic chance those filmmakers have of reaching an audience. The minister says no reasons were given, but the story carries no response from the Union ministry — making this, for now, a one-sided account. Given that Kerala went ahead and screened several films denied exemption at last year's IFFK, a repeat standoff looks possible.

31 out of 347 is small in numbers but large in impact, since a festival slot is often the defining career milestone for an independent filmmaker.
Because films without CBFC certification need a central exemption, this clearance process has become the annual chokepoint for festival programmers.
Without stated reasons, filmmakers cannot appeal or amend — the transparency of the process, more than the outcome, is the core issue here.
Permission rows tend to amplify curiosity around the affected titles, and these films could gain attention through debate and alternative screenings outside the festival.
If the Akademi's exemption request goes unanswered, this risks hardening into a state-versus-Centre cultural policy dispute rather than a programming glitch.

What to watch — Whether the Union ministry responds to the Akademi's exemption request — and, crucially, whether Kerala screens the films anyway as it did at last year's IFFK.

The story does not establish the Centre's side, whether any content-related objections exist, or whether the denial is final rather than a decision still pending.

Deep dive

Research brief · 8 facts · 5 dates · exam-ready

The brief

Context

The 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi, is scheduled in the state capital later this month. Films screened at festivals do not need a CBFC censor certificate, but since they are uncertified they require screening permission (censor exemption) from the Union ministry of information and broadcasting. Kerala's culture minister PC Vishnunadh said on Sunday that 31 films have not been granted such permission, and that the Centre gave no reasons. A similar dispute arose at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) last year.

Key facts

Kerala culture minister PC Vishnunadh said on Sunday that the Union I&B ministry has not stated reasons for denying screening permission to 31 films at the 18th IDSFFK.
According to reports, 31 of the 347 films selected for screening by the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi for IDSFFK have been denied permission.
Films at festivals like IDSFFK do not need a censor certificate, but need Union ministry permission as they are not certified by the CBFC.
The Centre sought detailed synopses of several films; the minister said these were sent the next day.
The minister said the ministry neither stated reasons nor said it was denying permission, and only sent a list of films granted permission.
The Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi has requested the concerned department to grant exemption to the 31 films as well, and is awaiting a response.
Films not granted permission include 'Sanitised Republic: Cast(e) and Contracts' on sanitation workers in Delhi hospitals during Covid-19, and 'Parliament Street' on memories tied to the Delhi landmark.
Other denied films include 'Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk', on life in conflict-torn Gaza through video calls, and the Malayalam film 'Globe' on tribal life in Attappady.

Timeline

Last year (IFFK)Several films were denied censor exemption by the Centre at the International Film Festival of Kerala; the Kerala government went ahead and screened several of them.
Ahead of IDSFFK (date not stated in the source)The Centre asked for detailed synopses of several films; the Akademi sent them the next day.
SubsequentlyThe ministry sent only a list of films granted permission; around 31 films were left without permission.
Sunday (date not stated in the source)Minister PC Vishnunadh said the Centre had given no reasons for withholding permission.
Later this monthThe 18th IDSFFK is scheduled to be held in the state capital.

Who has a stake

Union ministry of information and broadcasting — Grants screening permission/exemption for uncertified films at festivals; faces questions over withholding permission without stated reasons.
Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi — Organiser that selected 347 films; has requested exemption for the 31 films and awaits a response.
PC Vishnunadh, Kerala minister for culture — Publicly demanding clarity from the Centre on content-related objections, if any.
Filmmakers of the 31 films — Risk losing the festival platform for works on sanitation workers, Gaza, Delhi's Parliament Street and Attappady tribal life.
Festival audiences and Kerala government — Access to selected documentary and short films; last year the state screened several films denied exemption at IFFK.
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) — Its certification is the normal route; its absence for festival films makes ministry exemption necessary.

Why it matters

The dispute goes to the heart of how uncertified films reach audiences in India: festival screenings depend on a Union ministry exemption, and a silent refusal without stated reasons leaves filmmakers and organisers with nothing to contest. With 31 of 347 selected films affected, including works on sanitation workers, Gaza and Attappady's tribal life, questions arise over transparency in film regulation and Centre-state friction over cultural events.

UPSC angle

Prelims pointers

IDSFFK: International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala; 18th edition due in the state capital later this month.
IDSFFK is organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi; 347 films were selected for screening.
Films screened at festivals need Union I&B ministry permission because they are not certified by the CBFC.
31 films were reportedly denied screening permission at the 18th IDSFFK.
Kerala's culture minister is PC Vishnunadh.
At the IFFK last year, several films were denied censor exemption but the Kerala government screened several of them.

Mains framing

The IDSFFK row illustrates the procedural grey zone in India's film regulation: festival films bypass CBFC certification but require a screening exemption from the Union information and broadcasting ministry, a power exercised here, by the state's account, without any recorded reasons or even a formal denial — only a list of approved titles. The state's case is that all 347 films went through a careful selection process, that detailed synopses sought by the Centre were supplied the next day, and that if there are content-related objections they must be spelt out so they can be answered; the Akademi has sought exemption for the remaining 31 and is awaiting a reply. The subject matter of some withheld films — sanitation workers in Delhi hospitals during Covid-19, Parliament Street, Gaza, tribal life in Attappady — makes the absence of reasons more sensitive, and the IFFK precedent from last year, where the state screened films denied exemption, points to escalating Centre-state friction over cultural programming. A way forward lies in reasoned, time-bound communication of decisions, clear criteria for festival exemptions and an appeal or clarification mechanism so organisers can respond rather than guess.

Key terms

IDSFFK: International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala; its 18th edition is due in the state capital later this month.
CBFC: Central Board of Film Certification, the body that certifies films; festival films here are uncertified by it.
Censor exemption / screening permission: Union I&B ministry clearance that allows uncertified films to be screened at festivals.
Kerala State Chalachitra Akademi: State body that selected the 347 films and has requested exemption for the 31 withheld films.
IFFK: International Film Festival of Kerala, where several films were denied censor exemption by the Centre last year.

Practice questions

Should the Union government be required to give written reasons when refusing screening permission to films at festivals? Discuss with reference to the IDSFFK case.
Examine the regulatory architecture for film screening in India, distinguishing CBFC certification from festival exemptions granted by the information and broadcasting ministry.
Festival film clearances have become a site of Centre-state friction in Kerala. Analyse the implications for cultural federalism and artistic freedom.

Grounded only in the source report — figures and dates are the source's, not inferred.

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