Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023 introduced in Rajya Sabha; aims to tackle film piracy

New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): A bill which aims to curb piracy in film content and protect creative industry was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 was introduced in the House by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur amid din by opposition members on their demand for discussion on the situation in Manipur.
Anurag Thakur moved a motion to withdraw Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which was approved by the House amid din. He later introduced the new bill.

The bill is aimed at ensuring that the film content does not suffer due to piracy as the menace causes heavy loss to the industry.

Thakur had said earlier that the bill will also prove to be a “revolutionary step” towards promoting Indian films and helping local content go global.

“The Indian film industry is a crucial part of our cultural heritage, but piracy has been a constant threat to it. The Union Cabinet’s approval of Cinematography Act 2023, is a major step forward towards safeguarding and promoting the film industry,” he said.

“The bill, which has been drafted after thorough consultation with the stakeholders, incorporating best practices, will be introduced in the next session of parliament. It will also prove to be a revolutionary step towards promoting Indian films & helping local content go global.

“The fight against piracy is a global one but we’re determined to protect our creative industry by simplifying laws & improving the ease of doing business in India. Our efforts have resulted in a significant improvement in our rankings benefitting citizens & businesses alike,” he added.

The minister had also said that best practices across the world have been taken into consideration while drafting the legislation.

Officials said that the bill has provisions for categorising films based on age group, rather than the current practice of ‘U,’ ‘A,’ and ‘UA’.

The Bill seeks to amend the Cinematograph Act, 1954.

The government had introduced a bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2019 and it was sent to the Standing Committee for scrutiny.

The monsoon session of Parliament began on Thursday.