Cinema for all? Subtitles and audio descriptions mandatory for all films

A new rule from the I&B Ministry is set to change how films are experienced in India. From March 15, accessibility features such as subtitles and audio descriptions will be mandatory for all films and a prerequisite for obtaining a censor certificate.

While the move is being welcomed as a step towards more inclusive cinema, it has also sparked conversations within the industry about costs and how prepared the ecosystem is for the transition. We spoke to filmmakers, producers and industry voices about what the change could mean for the future of filmgoing.WHY THE MOVE CAME ABOUTProducer G Dhananjayen traces the origins of the policy to discussions held with the CBFC last year. “Six months ago, exhibitors, producers and trade bodies across India were invited for a discussion with the CBFC as people with disabilities had put forth a representation stating that they weren’t able to enjoy cinema because of the lack of these facilities in theatres.

We suggested not making it compulsory for every film, but the CBFC didn’t want to get into this differentiation because a person with a disability can choose to come to every film.

”FOR PROPER IMPLEMENTATION, WE WILL NEED MORE TIME, SAY FILMMAKERSFilmmaker Sashi Kiran Tikka points out that subtitles have already become common during the certification process. Kannada filmmaker Hemanth M Rao believes the transition may involve some early challenges. “There will be some teething issues, like getting the syntax and language correct for audio descriptions,” he says, adding that the problem itself “is not a very complicated one” to solve for filmmakers.

What concerns him more is the timeline.

“March 15 was too short a deadline for films that are due for release. Such a move will need some time and expertise to ensure fewer errors in such a good initiative,” he says.‘If cinema is made accessible to more people, it expands a movie’s reach’Someshwar Sati, professor at the University of Delhi and chairperson of the Indian Disability Studies Collective, believes the move could transform the filmgoing experience for people with disabilities.

“The introduction of audio description enhances the experience and will make movie-watching far more enjoyable. A true businessman would realise that if cinema is made accessible to more people, the size of the audience would also increase exponentially, enhancing a movie’s reach and expanding its market,” he says.He adds that accessibility must go beyond films themselves.

“With this, cinema has now become accessible. As a next step, it’s also important to make the spaces where these movies are screened accessible in terms of infrastructure,” he suggests.‘There are questions that need to be resolved’Ranjan Ghosh, filmmaker, states, “How much time will it take to upgrade? Will it happen in phases? Will single-screen theatres be able to comply? Do they have the necessary wherewithal? What are the costs involved for producers? Bigbudget productions won’t find it difficult, but what about independent filmmakers? What about films with sparse dialogues or silent films? Will the entire film then be like an audiobook? Many films are made directly for OTT platforms — will they need to comply as well? These questions need to be answered.

The idea is great, and I’m keenly watching how its implementation unfolds.”Cost versus inclusivityProducer Sameer Bharat Ram believes the government could consider helping offset some of the additional costs. “Cinema has to be for everybody. But since this is for a social cause, it should be a public-private partnership model,” he says. Some, however, feel the impact on budgets won’t be significant. Director Karthik Gattamneni says, “Subtitles are already being prepared for OTT.

So, this extends an existing practice and makes cinema more accessible to viewers with disabilities.

”Exhibitors raise concerns over cost and upkeepCT Valliappan, an exhibitor from Chennai, says the initiative could place a heavy financial burden on theatre owners. “It’s a good initiative, but it’s going to cost a lot of money to maintain. Who is going to come up with the money for the equipment? I think it’ll be fair if the government gives some incentive to do it as it’s not a one-day affair.

If there’s going to be a lot of wiring, where are we going to put all of this? This can exist in an ideal scenario, but in the real world, I’d say within 60 days, all of the equipment will become useless.

”‘Corporates are trying to cash in on this regulation’Subtitlists say the move, while wellintentioned, will add to their workload. A subtitlist who works in Kannada cinema shares, “Subtitling is already a time-consuming process. While the move to make films more inclusive is understandable, the closed-caption format and the addition of audio descriptions create extra pressure on subtitlists, making the process far more labour-intensive.

It also calls for higher pay scales, something not all filmmakers may be willing to accommodate.

”Malayalam subtitlist Vivek Ranjith agrees, “Earlier, we used to get the draft of dialogues, but now, we also have to do sound descriptions; some subtitlists handle audio description as well. In Malayalam, the final mix happens just 4-5 days before release, and it would help if that changed. Right now, the schedule is so tight that I haven’t slept well in three weeks. It’s a job that requires a lot of time and effort, so the cost will have to reflect that.

Some corporates are trying to cash in with offers to grab the opportunity, and people don’t really understand the actual effort that goes into subtitling.”(Inputs from Divya Shree, Gopika IS, Madhu Daithota, Ruman Ganguly, Shreya Varanasi, Yemen S)