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The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) has informed its members, as directed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), that all films must include accessibility standards for individuals with hearing and visual impairments.These features include subtitles, audio files, and audio descriptions, and must be provided according to the following schedule, which all members should comply with in their own interest.
In a letter to its members, the IMPPA stated, “Applicants for certification of films for theatrical release shall arrange access services for their films as per the following schedule:
All feature films that are to be certified in more than one language will be required to provide at least one accessibility feature each for the hearing impaired and visually impaired, i.e., closed captioning (CC) or open captioning (OC), and audio description (AD), effective September 15, 2024, in each language for which the film is submitted for certification.
Feature films submitted for consideration in the National Film Awards and the Indian Panorama Section of the International Film Festival of India, Goa, and other film festivals organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting must include closed captioning and audio description starting January 1, 2025. All other feature films being certified through the CBFC, including teasers and trailers meant for theatrical release (digital feature films), will be required to provide accessibility features for CC/OC and AD starting March 2026.”