The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has announced that it will now be mandatory for all Indian films to include subtitles and audio. The rule, intended to make movies more accessible, has sparked controversy on social media. As per the new directive, this new rule will be implemented from March 15, 2026. The Censor Board has also advised filmmakers to ensure inclusion of subtitles and audio descriptions while submitting films for certification.

The Censor Board has also made it mandatory for filmmakers to upload their films as Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs) through the e-Cinepraman portal and include accessibility features. The purpose of this rule is to make films more accessible to viewers with visual or hearing impairments.

While many have welcomed this new decision by the censor board, some say that it will spoil the fun of watching movies in theaters for the audience.

Some users on social media say that repeatedly flashing subtitles and audio descriptions on the screen while watching a movie can be incredibly frustrating and destroy the enjoyment of watching a movie. One user wrote above, “What is this? Will all movies have subtitles? This is confusing. It’s understandable for English movies, but why Bollywood movies?”

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Another user wrote above, “Subtitles are distracting. Sometimes the subtitles appear even when the actors are not speaking.” Another user wrote, “It always distracts me.

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