Makers Face Censor Delays as Eight Documentaries Wait for Clearance at Kerala Film Festival

Eight documentary films remain stuck without censor clearance from the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry for the current film festival in Kerala. Filmmakers Afiya Khalid and Rizwan Rahman faced the cancellation of their movie across three consecutive festivals due to government intervention.

Festival Impact

Ms. Khalid stated that authorities initially objected to an audio clip of the Prime Minister announcing the pandemic lockdown and later demanded the removal of a news screenshot. Although the creators complied with both cuts, the ministry still withheld permission. The documentary details the struggles of sanitation workers at two Delhi medical facilities who lost their jobs after working through the health crisis. Another affected movie titled 'Parliament Street' by Spandan Banerjee examines an alternative shop in the capital, while other blocked titles cover tribal displacement in Odisha, a sex worker video unit in Kolkata, and a forgotten Naxal leader.

Legal Action

Context

Documentary screenings at public film events in the country typically require specific exemptions or certification from the central censor board. Filmmakers often use legal channels through high courts when clearance approvals stall or face unexpected hurdles.