Unravelling the Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023

The Bill was initially presented in the Rajya Sabha on 12th February 2019.

• The Bill was subsequently referred to the Standing Committee on Information Technology.
• The Standing Committee submitted its report on 16th March 2020.
• The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was formulated following numerous rounds of discussions with stakeholders.
• The Bill is expected to be presented in the Parliament during the 2023 monsoon session.

Objectives and Proposals:

• The Bill seeks to modify the Cinematograph Act, 1952.
• The Bill introduces stricter penalties for film piracy.
• The Bill proposes new sub-age categories for films.
• The Bill aims to standardize the classification of films and content across various platforms.
• The certification, once given, will be perpetual, replacing the current 10-year validity.
• The Act will be brought in line with the Supreme Court judgements .
• The Bill proposes the recertification of edited films for television broadcast.
• Only films with an Unrestricted Public Exhibition category can be broadcast on television.
• The Act's provisions will be aligned with the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 to ensure uniformity.

Introduction of New Sub-age Categories for Film Classification

• Films will be classified based on age groups, instead of the current “U”, “A”, and “UA” ratings.
• New categories – ‘UA-7+’, ‘UA-13+’, and ‘UA-16+’ will be introduced to replace the current 12-year categorization.

Tougher Laws Against Piracy

• The Bill proposes a three-year imprisonment term and a Rs 10 lakh fine for those found guilty of piracy.
• Piracy will be considered a criminal offense, and even the transmission of pirated content will be punishable.

A Look at the Cinematograph Act 1952

The Cinematograph Act was passed by the Parliament to ensure that films are exhibited within the societal tolerance limits.

• The Act led to the establishment of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC, or the censor board) to certify films.
• The Board reviews films as per the procedure outlined in the Act.
• The Board can either reject or grant the certificate, which is valid for ten years.
• The Act empowers the police to carry out search and seizure operations if a film is being screened in violation of any of the Act's provisions.

Wrapping Up: The film fraternity across the nation has welcomed the amendment bill, which is seen as a much-needed development. The Bill is expected to foster innovation, creativity, and job creation in the sector. However, it is crucial to maintain a balance between freedom of expression and reasonable restrictions.