Rajya Sabha passes Bill to curb film piracy, revamp age-based certification

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed a Bill to curb the menace of film piracy, revamp age-based certification given by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as well as uniformity in the categorisation of films and content across platforms. Speaking on the Bill, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said the Bill has been brought to get relief from the loss of Rs 20,000 crore to piracy.

"Piracy is like cancer and we are trying to uproot it through this Bill," Thakur said in support of the Bill, which has provisions to curb transmission of pirated film content on the internet as well as to classify films on the basis of age group, instead of the current practice of 'U', 'A', and 'UA'. The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 was passed in the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote in the absence of opposition parties who had earlier staged a walkout.

"U" is for unrestricted public exhibition and "A" is restricted to adult audiences, while "UA" is for unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below the age of 12 and "S" for special category audiences such as doctors and scientists. The Bill seeks amendment to the Cinematograph Act, 1952. The amendments will address the issue of unauthorised recording and exhibition of films.

The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on July 20. The draft Act constitutes the Board of Film Certification for certifying films for exhibition. Such certifications may be subject to modifications and deletions. The Board may also refuse the exhibition of films. The Bill adds certain additional certificate categories based on age.

Under the Act, the film may be certified for exhibition without restriction (‘U’); without restriction, but subject to the guidance of parents or guardians for children below 12 years of age (‘UA’); only to adults (‘A’); or only to members of any profession or class of persons (‘S’). The Bill substitutes the UA category with the following three categories to also indicate age-appropriateness UA 7+, UA 13+, or UA 16+.

The age endorsement within the UA category by the Board will inform guidance of parents or guardians, and will not be enforceable by any other persons other than parents or guardians.