Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, July 31: The Lok Sabha approved a Bill on Monday that will tackle the menace of movie piracy, revamp the age-based certification provided by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and ensure consistency in the categorization of films and content across platforms.
Despite objections from members of the opposition parties regarding the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 was approved by voice vote in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha approved the Bill on July 27.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur stated in response to the Bill, “We (the government) will do the work of stopping piracy through this Bill.”
In support of the Bill, Thakur said, “Piracy is like cancer and we are trying to uproot it through this Bill. It has provisions to curb transmission of pirated film content on the internet and to classify films based on age group, instead of the current practise of “U,” “A” and “UA.”
“UA” is for unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental supervision for children under the age of 12 and “S” stands for special category audiences like doctors and scientists. “U” stands for unrestricted public exhibition while “A” is confined to adult audiences.
The 1952 Cinematograph Act is being sought to be amended by the bill. The issue of unlicensed film recording and display will be addressed by the amendments.
The Board of Film Certification is established by the proposed Act to certify films for viewing. These certificates are open to changes and removals. The Board has the option to prohibit the screening of films.
The Bill establishes certain new certificate categories based on age. According to the Act, the movie may be certified for screening without restrictions (designated “U”), without restrictions but subject to the supervision of parents or guardians for children under the age of 12 (designated “UA”), only to adults (designated “A”), or only to members of any profession or class of persons (designated “S”).
The following three categories substitute the UA category in the Bill to also reflect age-appropriateness UA 7+, UA 13+, or UA 16+. Parental or guardian guidance shall be informed by the age endorsement made by the Board for the UA category, and it will not be binding on anyone else.
A separate certificate is needed for films with an “A” or “S” rating to be shown on television or in any other format mandated by the central government. The applicant may be instructed by the Board to carry out the necessary omissions or revisions for the separate certificate.
The Bill forbids participating in or aiding in the illegal recording and showing of films. Making an unauthorised recording attempt is likewise illegal.
Unauthorised recording refers to making or transmitting an unauthorised copy of a movie at a venue with a permit for movie showings without the owner’s consent. A public showing of a pirated copy of a movie for money at an unlicensed venue or in a way that violates copyright laws is referred to as an unauthorised exhibition.
The aforementioned offences are likewise exempt from some provisions of the Copyright Act of 1957. The 1957 Act permits certain restricted uses of copyrighted material without the owner’s consent, including those for private or individual use, reporting on current affairs and reviews or critiques of the work in question.
The offences are subject to a fine of up to 5% of the audited gross production cost and a term of imprisonment ranging from three months to three years.
The Board’s certificate is legitimate for 10 years under the Act. The Bill stipulates that the certificates shall remain valid indefinitely.
The Act gives the central government the authority to assess films that have received certification or are in the process of receiving certification and to issue orders. The Board must resolve issues in accordance with the order.
