Film producers to shell out an extra ₹1 lakh from March 15 to make cinema more accessible | Explained

Gone are the days when individuals with visual or hearing impairments couldn’t fully enjoy the magic of cinema in theatres. Starting from March 15, every film hitting theatres will arrive with special features, aimed only for the visual and hearing-impaired viewers. Films which fail to comply with the new norms set by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, won’t get clearance from the Censor Board if producers fail to include these facility in their movies.

As per the new norms, films will be required to include audio descriptions (AD) and closed captions (CC) to ensure accessibility for all audiences. Though the Ministry had only mandated these requirements for multilingual films, initially, this has since changed, and even smaller films with a single-language release, such as Malayalam, are now required to comply with these norms. The Kerala Film Producers Association, which had anticipated this shift, has confirmed that they are already prepared to implement the new features — Audio Descriptions and Closed Captions — for the visually and hearing-impaired.

“The KFPA is already mastering content. We have the facility to ensure these features are included for smooth theatrical experience for the viewers,” said KFPA president B Rakesh. The challenge, however, according to KFPA member Subin, lies with producers, who have to shell out an extra Rs 1 lakh for the purpose. “This is to ensure the audio description in one language. For multi-lingual movies, the cost of audio description and closed captions, can go up to Rs 5 lakh, given the number of languages the feature should be available in,” he said.

Producers should be aware of this norm, which may otherwise delay censorship. “If the producer submits the final edit to the Censor Board without including these features, there is every possibility that the censorship would be rejected. This could lead to delay in the release of the film,” he said.

Saji Nandyattu, former general secretary of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, who was among the first people to raise concerns regarding the practicality of imposing these norms in theatres, said the onus now lies completely with the producers. “One of the biggest concerns was to reserve specific seats in every theatre for those needing these features. That was impractical given that this would require additional space within theatres, which could reduce overall seating capacity and affect the economics of running a cinema,” he said. But now, the government has introduced a solution to these concerns: an app-based system, which allows users to enjoy the benefits without any seating restrictions. The new regulations mandate that every producer include AD and CC before submitting a film for certification.

What are Audio Descriptions and Closed Captions

Audio descriptions provide a spoken narrative of the visual elements for visually impaired viewers, while closed captions display dialogues and sound cues for the hearing impaired. To access these features, viewers can simply download a special app, sync it with the film, and enjoy the experience from any seat in the theatre.

Mollywood director Arun Varma, who ensured AD features for his recent OTT release Baby Girl, shared how deeply moving it was to hear from visually impaired viewers who could now engage with his work. However, he also mentioned receiving mixed feedback—highlighting that, while these features are vital, awareness is still needed to balance both accessibility and the viewing experience for all audiences. “I received a call from another filmmaker who said the feature meant for the hearing and speech-impaired, was quite disruptive for him. He was unaware that the feature can be disabled in an OTT platform,” he said.