Parliament greenlights Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill: What will change for industry
In a significant move to protect the film industry from piracy and unauthorized screenings, Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023—following its approval by Rajya Sabha last Thursday. The Bill is set to amend the Cinematograph Act of 1952, which made provision for the certification of films for exhibition. Let's delve into the major changes that are going to take place.
What is the Cinematograph Act of 1952?
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory body—responsible for overseeing public screenings—operating under the guidelines established in the Cinematograph Act of 1952. They govern the content, ensuring that the opinions, ideas, and artistic liberties of filmmakers align with the specified norms.
Key provisions #1: Crackdown on film piracy
As per its Statement of Objects and Reasons, the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill introduces two new sections, 6AA (prohibition of unauthorized recording) and 6AB (prohibition of unauthorized exhibition of film). The sections aim to impose penalties on individuals involved in the creation of pirated movie copies. Offenders could now face a three-year prison sentence and a fine amounting to 5% of the film's production cost.
Key provisions #2: Changes in how movies are certified
The current Act certifies films: without restriction (U), without restriction but subject to parental guidance (UA), only for adults (A), and only for a specified group (S). However, with the amendment, the 'UA' category has undergone modification; introducing three new categories: UA 7+, UA 13+, and UA 16+—meaning movies with these certifications are to be viewed by children above the specified age limit.
Key provisions #3: Reclassifying 'A' (adult) or 'S' to 'UA'
According to the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act of 1995, only UA-category films are allowed to be shown on television. However, the recent Bill enables the possibility of changing the previous classification from 'A' or 'SA' to 'UA' following necessary modifications. Additionally, the film certification will now have perpetual validity—meaning that once a film receives a particular certification, it will retain that indefinitely.
Other key highlights
The (Amendment) Bill omitted the "special reference to Jammu & Kashmir" in the Act. This comes following the J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019, in which all special provisions in central laws related to the erstwhile state have been rendered obsolete. Another crucial provision of the Bill is the prohibition of "recording or assisting in recording" any film in a theater using audio-visual equipment.
