Rajya Sabha passed the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The Bill aims to address the issues related to piracy and licensing. It also laid down a new framework for film certification and its categorisation.
Presenting the Bill in the upper house, the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur addressed the issue of piracy and how it results in huge loss for the film industry. As per the new provisions, a three year jail term and a fine of up to 5 percent of the production cost of the film has been imposed for any acts of piracy.
The Bill also laid down three categories of UA certification, UA 7+, UA13+, UA16+. Anyone younger than the specified age needs parental guidance to watch such a movie.
The CBFC can now also provide separate certificates for a film to be exhibited on television or any other media.
The Bill aims to improve the process of licensing for a film by creating a sync between laws, executive orders, Supreme Court judgements etc.
The minister stressed on the point that the last big amendment to the Cinematograph Act took place in 1984 and it was due time for it to have a change.
He also appreciated the Indian film industry and its recent success at global level with films and documentary films like ‘RRR’ and ‘The Elephant Whispers’.
