Union Minister for Information & Broadcast Ministry, Anurag Thakur, hailed the Cinematograph (Amendment Bill) 2023 as a “revolutionary initiative” to boost India’s soft power globally. The bill, presented at the Rajya Sabha, aims to combat film piracy and enhance age-based film certification.
According to Thakur, the bill is a major step to safeguard the Indian film industry, which suffered significant piracy losses amounting to Rs. 20,000 crore. He emphasised the need to protect the rights of all stakeholders, from spot boys to filmmakers.
“To ensure the holistic growth of Indian cinema & safeguard the rights of everyone in the industry from spot boy to technicians to filmmakers, under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi, I got the opportunity to introduce The Cinematograph (Amendment Bill) 2023 in the Rajya Sabha. It is the first major amendment since 1984,” the minister wrote on social media platform Twitter (now called X).
According to numbers presented by the minister, after the pandemic and the reopening of theatres, there has been a concerning 62 percent surge in online film piracy, with an interesting revelation that 70 percent of people are aware of its criminality.
The bill seeks to streamline the certification process, improve categorization, and prevent unauthorized recording, copying, and transmission of films on the internet. Thakur believes this initiative will significantly impact the lives of everyone involved in the industry and strengthen India’s soft power globally.
“The bill aims at fighting piracy, which is eating up our ever- growing film industry, which has captured the imagination of the world with its content & creativity. It aims to streamline the certification process & improve categorisation and prevent unauthorised recording, copying & transmission on the internet,” he said.
Calling it revolutionary, Thakur said that the bill will make a significant difference in the lives of all industry stakeholders.
“It is a revolutionary initiative that is going to make a difference in the lives of everyone associated with the industry and help in the growth of our soft power globally,” the minister wrote.
The bill introduces additional certificate categories based on age, with UA being replaced by UA 7+, UA 13+, or UA 16+ to indicate age-appropriateness. Films with an ‘A’ or ‘S’ certificate will require a separate certificate for exhibition on television or other media prescribed by the central government.
Moreover, the bill prohibits unauthorized recording and exhibition of films and enforces certain exemptions under the Copyright Act, 1957. These exemptions apply to limited use of copyrighted content for private or personal use, reporting of current affairs, and review or critique of the work. The aim is to safeguard the film industry, enhance age-appropriate certification, and combat piracy effectively.
Also Read: Rajya Sabha passes Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023