A Bill to curb film piracy and simplify the licensing procedure was passed by the Rajya Sabha on July 27. The Bill seeks to amend the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and it was passed by a voice vote.
In the Bill, the government has proposed a maximum three-year-jail term and a fine of up to 5% of the production cost of a film for persons indulging in film piracy. The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 also proposes to allow the Central Board of Film Certification to grant certificates to films with perpetual validity instead of the 10-year validity period as of now.
The Bill also seeks to introduce three age-based certifications under the ‘UA’ category — ‘UA 7+’, ‘UA 13+’ and ‘UA 16+’. If further seeks to empower the CBFC to certify a film separately for exhibition on television or other media.
The stringent new provision — section 6AA — in the Bill prohibits the recording of a film or any part thereof with the sole purpose of using the recording in the same device. The unauthorised exhibition of films will be dealt with under section 6AB.
The Bill will have to be passed by the Lok Sabha for it to become law.