The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India.

Originally, there were two: U (unrestricted public exhibition with family-friendly movies) and A (restricted to adult audiences but any kind of nudity not allowed).

Two more were added in June 1983 that are U/A (unrestricted public exhibition, with parental guidance for children under 12) and S (restricted to specialised audiences, such as doctors or scientists).

Films with the U/A certification can contain moderate adult themes that are not strong in nature and are not considered appropriate to be watched by a child without parental guidance.

[16][17] The board's guiding principles are to ensure healthy public entertainment and education and, using modern technology, to make the certification process and board activities transparent to filmmakers, the media and the public also every video have to undergo CBFC certification for telecasting or distributing over any platform in India and suggestible same standards for anywhere in the world.

[29] Also in 2002, Indian filmmaker and CBFC chair Vijay Anand proposed legalising the exhibition of X-rated films in selected cinemas.

Anand said, "Porn is shown everywhere in India clandestinely ... and the best way to fight this onslaught of blue movies is to show them openly in theatres with legally authorised licences".

[39][40] CBFC chairperson Leela Samson resigned in protest of political interference in the board's work in 2015 after its decision to refuse certification of the film, MSG: The Messenger, was overturned by an appellate tribunal.

Samson was replaced by Pahlaj Nihalani, whose Bharatiya Janata Party affiliation triggered a wave of additional board resignations.

[41] The board was criticised for ordering the screen time of two kissing scenes in the James Bond film Spectre to be cut by half for release.

In August 2017, days after his removal as CBFC chair, Nihalani said in an interview that he had received instructions from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to block the release of this film and at least one other.

[47] Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017) by Alankrita Shrivastava, produced by Prakash Jha, was initially denied certification, with the CBFC claiming that "The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life.

There are contanious [sic] sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society".

Shrivastava said she would have preferred no cuts, but felt the film's narrative and essence were left intact, and commended the FCAT's handling of the issue.

[52] After appealing to the FCAT and incorporating a few cuts and disclaimers at its request, the film was granted a "U/A" certificate eight months after its initial submission.