# CBFC blocks Umar Khalid documentary screening at IIIT-Hyderabad 2026-09-18T06:18:01+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has objected to a planned screening of the documentary 'Prisoner No. 626710 is Present' on jailed activist Umar Khalid at IIIT-Hyderabad. The CBFC said publicly screening an uncertified film violates the Cinematograph Act unless an exemption has been granted. The screening, organised by a student collective called No Tyrants, No Silence, was scheduled for September 18. IIIT-Hyderabad Director Sandeep Kumar Shukla issued an email to students cancelling the event and banning all public and private screenings in institute spaces without written permission. The institute said neither it nor any recognised student body had organised the screening. A similar screening at NLSIU Bengaluru was postponed earlier after opposition from the ABVP, though organisers said they would reschedule it later in the trimester. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three outlets report essentially the same facts without adopting a framing stance. NDTV front-loaded the institute's denial, Times of India led with the CBFC's statutory objection, and The News Minute added the email from the director banning all screenings. No outlet takes a view on whether the CBFC's action or the student group's plan is justified. The uniform straight reporting here leaves the underlying conflict implicit: the CBFC enforcing the Cinematograph Act against an uncertified film about a UAPA detainee, and the institute banning all independent student gatherings in response. The real next step is whether the No Tyrants, No Silence collective or Law Soc at NLSIU will attempt a certified private screening later in the trimester. ## Coverage - ndtv.com (neutral report) Leads with the institute's categorical denial rather than the CBFC's objection, foregrounding institutional distance. - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Leads with the CBFC's statutory objection and the postponement timeline, giving the regulator's account primary position. - thenewsminute.com (neutral report) Leads with the cancellation detail and includes the director's email banning all screenings, adding practical aftermath. Tags: ABVP, CBFC, Cinematograph Act, IIIT Hyderabad, Umar Khalid Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/cbfc-flags-uncertified-umar-khalid-documentary-at-iiit-hyderabad/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/cbfc-flags-uncertified-umar-khalid-documentary-at-iiit-hyderabad/#story-in-brief