CBFC Says Checkmate To Telugu Filmmakers

For years, many Telugu filmmakers have been playing a dangerous game. Shoot till the last minute. Edit till the last week. Finish VFX days before release. Then rush to the CBFC through the Tatkal route and somehow make it to theatres on time. That shortcut is now officially gone.

From the 1st of June, the Censor Board has discontinued its fast-track Tatkal certification system. What looks like a small administrative decision on paper could actually become one of the biggest reality checks for filmmakers across India, especially in the Telugu Film Industry.

Let’s be honest. Last-minute culture has become a habit in the industry. Several big films continue post-production almost until the release week. Producers often lock in release dates first and complete the film later. Whenever schedules get delayed, Tatkal certification becomes the safety net. Forget about Censoring, these delays affect the films, especially small and medium films that have already planned their releases. Once a small film is promoted, and then it gets wasted because the release is pushed away, producers are losing big monnies. Now that the Tatkal scheme is out, surely it helps small and medium films.

Now every film must go through the regular certification process, which can take up to 60 days. That means big producers can no longer depend on emergency approvals to save their release plans. And if a film is not ready before 60 days, then it won’t get the Censor on time. Well, this is a checkmate to big-ticket filmmakers, while it helps small-budgeted films a lot.

Advance bookings, overseas premieres, marketing campaigns, and distribution plans all depend on certification timelines now, and filmmakers will also make a movie in a stipulated time without going for extravagant delays. For an industry addicted to last-minute panic, we have to see how they are going to overcome this shocker.