An Outlook On The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021

In today's world, cinema is not restricted to being a mere source of entertainment. Rather, it acts as a medium for social commentary. Over the years, cinema has influenced our society in numerous ways. Accordingly, it has become an imperative to ensure that the entertainment that is made available to the society is suitable for public viewing. Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra, released in 1913, is considered the first ever full-length Indian film to be produced. The Indian Cinematograph Act came into effect seven years after Raja Harishchandra's initial release. Originally, censorship boards existed as independent bodies in several states including Madras, Calcutta, Lahore, Rangoon and Bombay. After India's independence, all the independent censorship bodies were clubbed into a single board called the Bombay Board of Film Censors. Subsequently, the cinematograph act of 1952 restructured the Bombay Board into a single board which is now known as the Central