Govt releases guidelines to make cinema more accessible for persons with visual, hearing impairment

New Delhi: Subtitles, closed or open captioning and audio description for cinemas screened in theatres may become a norm soon with the government on Monday releasing draft guidelines, saying it is aimed at developing a culture and practice of accessibility of feature films for persons with hearing and visual impairment.

The draft ‘Guidelines of Accessibility Standards in the Public Exhibition of Feature Films in Cinema Theatres for Persons with Hearing and Visual Impairment’ seeks to mandate subtitles, closed or open captioning, audio description and sign language interpretation for films in a time frame ranging between six months to three years.

A producer may have to submit two sets of film for certification – one for public view and the second one with accessibility features viz audio description, open/closed captioning and Indian Sign Language Interpretation at the time of applying for certification to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), the draft said.

According to the draft released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting seeking views from stakeholders by February 8, cinema theatres should ensure that films being delivered for theatrical releases mandatorily have both versions certified by the CBFC.

All feature films that are dubbed in more than one language would be required to provide at least one accessibility feature each for hearing impaired (open or closed captioning) and visually impaired (audio description) within six months from the date of implementation of the guideline, the draft suggested.

Those films submitted for national film awards, Indian Panorama section of International Film Festival of India and Mumbai International Film Festival should mandatorily include closed captioning and audio description from January 1 next year, it said.

All other feature films (digital feature films) meant for theatrical releases would be required to mandatorily provide accessibility features from three years from the date of issue of the guidelines, it added.

The draft also suggested that producers should strive to integrate accessibility features in any suitable software application for theatrical releases to extend it to personal devices.

The theatres could also organise dedicated screening with accessible devices.

During the normal show, the draft suggested, they could use mirror captions, closed captioning smart glasses, closed caption stands, closed caption display below the screen as well as headphones for audio description.