Story perspectives

NALSAR Screening Canceled After CBFC Warns Uncertified Exhibition

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 8:05 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

NALSAR University of Law students privately screened the documentary “Prisoner No. 626710 is Present”.
Students said the screening intended to discuss rights, accountability and the human cost of long incarceration.
NALSAR vice-chancellor Prof Srikrishna Deva Rao clarified the university did not authorize the event.
Screenings at IIIT-Hyderabad and NLSIU were cancelled after CBFC warned uncertified exhibitions breach the Cinematograph Act.

History

Historical Context

The 2015 documentary “India’s Daughter” faced a Central Board of Film Certification ban, igniting a nationwide debate over censorship and free expression. Despite the prohibition, the film garnered 2.5 million YouTube views in its first week, prompting the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to file legal challenges. Today, NALSAR Law students screened “Prisoner No. 626710 is Present”, prompting CBFC warnings that showings breach the Cinematograph Act and forcing cancellations at IIIT-Hyderabad and NLSIU. These recurring clashes highlight enduring tension between academic freedom and India’s film-censorship regime, suggesting forthcoming legal reforms may be driven by university activism.

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Story summary

NALSAR University of Law students privately screened the documentary “Prisoner No. 626710 is Present”.
Students said the screening intended to discuss rights, accountability and the human cost of long incarceration.
NALSAR vice-chancellor Prof Srikrishna Deva Rao clarified the university did not authorize the event.
Screenings at IIIT-Hyderabad and NLSIU were cancelled after CBFC warned uncertified exhibitions breach the Cinematograph Act.

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