New Delhi: The central government has issued draft guidelines aimed at making cinema accessible to individuals with hearing and visual impairments. The guidelines, released on Monday for public input, outline the incorporation of sign language interpretation and audio descriptions in feature films within the next three years.
According to the draft guidelines, feature films dubbed in more than one language are required to include at least one accessibility feature each for hearing-impaired (closed/open captions, CC/OC) and visually impaired (audio description, AD) audiences within six months of the guidelines’ effective implementation.
From January 1, 2025, onwards, all feature films submitted for consideration in prestigious events like the National Film Awards, the Indian Panorama Section of the International Film Festival of India in Goa, and the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) must mandatorily include closed captioning and audio description.
All other feature films certified through the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and meant for theatrical release (digital feature films) are required to add mandatory accessibility features like CC, OC, and AD within three years from the issuance of the guidelines.
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