After months of uncertainty and procedural roadblocks, the Kashmiri-language film Batt Koch has finally received its U certificate from the CBFC — and in the process, created history. The film has become the first-ever project to have Kashmiri officially listed as a main language on the CBFC portal, a milestone that goes far beyond one film.
The certification was granted on December 30, 2025, following intervention from former Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, bringing long-awaited recognition to Kashmiri cinema at an institutional level.
A Certification Delay That Turned Into a Systemic Fight
Directed and written by Siddarth Koul and co-directed by Ankit Wali, Batt Koch is a 73-minute feature shot entirely in Jammu & Kashmir. Despite being content-ready, the film remained stuck in certification limbo for nearly four months — not because of its themes or storytelling, but due to a startling technical gap.
When the makers applied for certification, they discovered that Kashmiri wasn’t even an available language option on the CBFC’s e-CinePramaan portal. For years, filmmakers working in Kashmiri had been forced to categorise their work under “Other Language,” a practice many felt erased linguistic identity rather than acknowledging it.
“We Decided to Fight It”
Speaking about the ordeal, Siddarth Koul described the process as mentally exhausting but necessary. According to him, the struggle wasn’t against censorship but against an invisible system that had never made space for Kashmiri in the first place.
The breakthrough came when Ashwini Vaishnaw stepped in and directed CBFC officials to add Kashmiri — along with all 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution — to the portal. While the correction took time at an administrative level, it resulted in a landmark update that benefits filmmakers across the country.
For the Batt Koch team, the certificate arriving with “Kashmiri” officially recognised wasn’t just approval — it was validation.
Why This Moment Matters Beyond One Film
What makes this achievement significant is that the roadblocks were never about Batt Koch’s content. The film, which stars veteran theatre actor and director MK Raina, faced delays purely due to classification and documentation issues.
By pushing back and staying in constant dialogue with authorities, the makers triggered a system-level correction — ensuring that India’s linguistic diversity is properly represented on a national certification platform.
In that sense, Batt Koch didn’t just clear a hurdle — it removed one for everyone who comes after.
Festival Run and Theatrical Plans
Currently touring international film festivals, Batt Koch is now gearing up for a theatrical release. The makers are keen on bringing the film to cinema halls first, believing it’s a story that works best when experienced collectively.
Described as a culturally rooted, family-oriented film with emotional and comic beats, the project is deeply tied to shared viewing — something the team feels is essential for its impact.
An OTT release will follow, but the filmmakers say they’re being selective, looking for a platform that respects and understands regional cinema without diluting its authenticity.
Final Words
Batt Koch’s journey to certification may have been long and frustrating, but it ends with something rare — a real, tangible change. By securing a U certificate and ensuring Kashmiri is finally recognised as a primary language, the film has rewritten a small but crucial part of Indian cinema’s rulebook.
Sometimes, the biggest victories happen off-screen.
And for Kashmiri filmmakers, this one truly matters.
