Cabinet approves Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023, aims to tackle problem of piracy

New Delhi [India], April 19 : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approves the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 which aims to curb piracy in film content and protect the creative industry.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said after the cabinet meeting that the bill will be brought in the next Parliament session.

He said 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.

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

He said best practices across the world have been taken into consideration while drafting the legislation.

In a series of tweets later, the minister said 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.

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