The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on Thursday, September 17, flagged the proposed screening of a documentary on jailed activist Umar Khalid at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT Hyderabad).
The board said publicly exhibiting an uncertified film would violate the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption had been obtained.
The documentary, Prisoner No. 626710 is Present, directed by filmmaker Lalit Vachani, was scheduled to be screened by a group of students at the institute’s KRB Auditorium at 8 pm on Friday, September 18.
Sources said the students have now decided to cancel the screening.
CBFC Warns of Legal Violation
“Public screening of a documentary film that has not yet been certified by the CBFC is a violation of the Cinematograph Act unless a specific exemption has been sought under the Act,” the CBFC posted on X.
Tagging IIIT Hyderabad, the board said the institute’s authorities “may take note for necessary action”.
The CBFC functions under the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. An email sent to IIIT Hyderabad seeking a response did not receive a reply.
Documentary Screening Faces Opposition
The development comes days after a proposed screening of the same documentary at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru was postponed following opposition from the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
The screening, organised by NLSIU’s student-run Law and Society Committee, was scheduled for September 14 to mark Political Prisoners’ Day and six years of Khalid’s incarceration.
The ABVP had demanded cancellation of the event, alleging that the screening would amount to using the campus for political propaganda.
The student committee later postponed the programme, citing “logistical and security considerations”. It said the decision was not taken because of pressure and that the screening would be held later in the trimester.
Film Focuses on Umar Khalid’s Imprisonment
Prisoner No. 626710 is Present centres on Umar Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University research scholar who was arrested in September 2020 in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots.
Khalid has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other provisions in the case. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
The invitation for the proposed IIIT Hyderabad screening said the event was being organised on the occasion of Political Prisoners’ Day.
It also referred to the anniversary of the death of revolutionary Jatindra Nath Das, a comrade of Bhagat Singh who died in 1929 after a prolonged hunger strike in Lahore jail.
