Prasoon Joshi Led Study Group on Promotion of Indian Cinema

The Oscars have largely not featured a meaningful slate of Indian films for decades, with Lagaan being the last film submitted by India to be nominated at the turn of the century. File

Story so far: The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Monday (June 29, 2026) announced two measures to support the Indian film industry. One is a study group led by Prasar Bharati chairman Prasoon Joshi, the longest-serving chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), to examine the “opportunities and challenges ahead for Indian cinema”. The second is the model cinema ordinance that the ministry has shared with state governments.

What will the study group investigate?

The study group is likely to explore the lackluster global soft power of the Indian film industry through cinema. While Indian films in multiple languages are released worldwide, the audience remains largely confined to the diaspora. There are some exceptions, such as RRR, which benefited from a North American re-release that did well enough for the film to win Best Original Song at the 2023 Academy Awards.

Despite this exception, the Oscars have mostly not featured a meaningful slate of Indian films in recent decades, with Lagaan being the last film submitted by India to be nominated at the turn of the century. Films such as The Lunchbox and All We Imagine As Light, which enjoyed widespread critical acclaim worldwide, were overlooked by the Film Federation of India (FFI) in favor of lesser-known films struggling to gain the publicity necessary to merit serious consideration for the season’s awards.

What is on the committee’s agenda?

For example, the committee may focus on why India has not created globally resonant media franchises like the US, Japan and other countries have. The committee is also expected to examine “the impact of new technologies on cinema” and suggest how filmmakers can use artificial intelligence tools. It will also examine funding issues impacting filmmakers and “identify best practices” with state governments for the “long-term growth of Indian cinema”.

Censorship is not addressed in the study group’s publicly announced terms, although issues related to the CBFC have delayed releases or otherwise limited filmmakers’ creative choices over the past decade.

What do the model cinema regulations suggest?

In a separate intervention, the MIB came up with model state cinema regulations and sent them directly to the states. The ministry declined to provide a copy of the regulations to The Hindu, but a senior official said it was a document aimed at the exhibition industry. It looks at how to “streamline requirements for exhibitors such as those for setting up cinema halls”, the official said, adding that the regulations also seek to streamline background checks and no-objection certificates (NOCs). This is an “advisory” document, the official said, as regulation of cinema halls falls entirely within the purview of state governments.

“There are timelines, like three weeks for certain things, ten days for some things,” the official said. India averages hundreds of people per cinema seat, compared to a few dozen in developed film markets such as France.

Published – 01 Jul 2026 12:52 IST