The Renovation of Content Classification

(U/A 13+)

“So, what have you been binging on lately?” Has almost replaced, “How’s the weather?” which stood strong as an opening statement for long. It would be unfair to not give the OTT platforms their due credit. There has been a massive change in the way each one of us consumes the content available to us. Age is one of the primary factors which usually misbehaves when the monotony is set to perform in desired way. Even in the case of OTT platforms where there is an emphasis on freedom of content consumption, the age verification isn’t excused.

The recently implemented Information Technology (Intermediary guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) 2021, (herein referred as IT rules 2021) were highlighted in news few months ago for its infamous WhatsApp controversy as also under our previous article, “Survival of the Fittest”. Through this article I mean to address the second issue which is almost missed by many, the reclassification of the content. As per the Cinematograph Act, 1952, the National Board of Film Certification (NBFC) certifies the film. The certifications were, U, U/A, A and S.  When the film is certified U, it means it is suitable for unrestricted exhibition and hence suitable for all age groups. When the film is certified U/A, it means unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below the age of twelve. When the film is restricted to be exhibited only to adults or to certain professionals it is certified as A or S respectively. Up until the implementation of the IT rules, the OTT platforms followed the same structure for certification of the content as under the Cinematograph Act mentioned above. However, under the IT rules 2021, the content on OTT platforms needs to be reclassified on the following basis: U, U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+ and A.

The certification of U is similar to that by NBFC, i.e., unrestricted and suitable for all age groups. The U/A 7+ certificate means a content suitable for age seven and above and similarly U/A 13+ means suitable for thirteen and above and so on. The primary reason for this further fragmentation is due to the diversity in the content that we see today. Today, my seven-year-old niece, my Eighty-nine-year-old Grandfather and I, all watch Netflix. Surely not together like the good old cinema days though. I would certainly not let my niece watch Breaking Bad which both my grandfather and I would love. And we would rather not prefer having Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig in our “recommended for you” list. Thus, this recertification enables the freedom of content creation with a level up, the level up being it caters for all age groups.

The reclassification is done observing certain parameters as directed under the Rules. Themes and messages; ii) Violence; iii) Nudity; iv) Sex; v) Language; vi) Drug and substance abuse; and (vii) Horror  are the said parameters.  The Theme and message for U rated films ideally needs to be positive and all butterflies.  There can be no Violence, Nudity, Sex, Usage of foul language, Drug and substance abuse or Horror. The film rated U/A 13+ may have some foul language or Drug usage, however it shouldn’t be glorified and must have an underlying positive outlook. The yardstick keeps getting liberal with the age and beyond all this once we go on A rated content, the much talked about debate on freedom to content creators lies. Having said that,  for all age groups there is an insistence on bearing in mind the reasonable restrictions. I see this a very modern and pragmatic approach to be implemented for OTT Platforms.

BUT the recent Cinematograph Amendment Bill which was out for public comments recently has proposed to follow the footsteps of IT Rules 2021 for content classification. Thus, NBFC has to classify the films on the basis of five certifications and not just U, U/A and A. Going to the theatres and watching a film is a whole experience in India which may seem dated now due to the pandemic. It is a family event.  Expecting a family with a six-year-old and nine-year-old to leave their younger one back home for a movie rated U/A 7+ just doesn’t make sense. Moreover, it may cause a tripartite loss. Loss to Producers, Audience and Creators. The production houses will face major losses because this reclassification will result into a huge downfall in the footfalls which is already there in this new normal. The Creators to prevent this decrease in footfall and help the production houses will prefer to have a 7+ or 13+ certificate so as to generate mass and hence will need to compromise on the content to make it fit within the parameters mentioned above. And lastly, we the audience will be ceased from consuming the unadulterated content. Thus, to consider the cinema experience and watching Netflix on our private screens as same and implement the same guidelines, does not make sense to me. 

Several production houses and members from the film fraternity have given their views on this Cinematograph Amendment Bill for several issues including but not limited to this reclassification of the content. Till then, here’s to hoping the safety of our content. Happy watching 🙂