No U/A Certificate to films showing smoking or tobacco products

Films depicting smoking or tobacco products won’t get U/A certificate, a new notification by the government dictates.

Film producers will have to include anti-tobacco health spots of minimum 30 seconds at the beginning and middle of the films displaying tobacco products or their use, according to a new notification by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Also, an audio-visual disclaimer of minimum 20 seconds on the ill-effects of tobacco use shall be displayed at the beginning and middle of the films displaying tobacco products or their use.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will bear the costs of production of such health spots and disclaimers. These health spots and disclaimers prepared by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will be provided to the Central Board of Film Certification in digital beta format for distribution to the filmmakers at the time of their application for certification.

This new rule was prepared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in consultation with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

In addition to the health spots and disclaimers, the films showing use of the tobacco products shall also be required to display an anti-tobacco health warning in the form of a static message during the period of display of the tobacco products or their use in the films. It has been agreed between the two Ministries to drop the clause that necessitated “UA” Certification for the films showing tobacco products or their use.

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued revised Notification in this regard.

Posted by NewsDesk on Sep 21 2012. Filed under Features & Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.