India Cracks Down on Piracy as Film Industry Loses $2.40 Bln Annually

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Film footage - Sputnik India, 1920, 03.11.2023
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken several measures to tackle the issue of film piracy, which is causing a staggering annual loss of up to $2.40 billion to the Indian film industry.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) is setting up a robust institutional framework that will include nodal officers who will be responsible for receiving and promptly addressing complaints related to film piracy.
These officers will possess the power to instruct intermediaries to swiftly eliminate pirated content from digital platforms, providing a faster alternative to the conventional legal channels provided by the Copyright Act and Indian Penal Code.
I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, while discussing the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, emphasized that the law's primary aim is to curb film piracy which has been a long-standing demand of the industry.
According to the ministry, the surge in piracy over the past years can be attributed to the greater availability of the internet and the growing desire for people to have free access to film content.
The amendment of the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 1952 includes severe penalties, such as a minimum of three months imprisonment that can go up to three years, and a fine of INR 300,000 ($3,602) or amounting to 5 per cent of the audited gross production cost.

Criteria for Individuals to File Complaints

The Act has also issued specific criteria for individuals to apply to the Nodal Officer in order to take action against pirated content.
According to the guidelines, only the original copyright holder or a person authorized by them can file complaints.
If an unauthorized party files a complaint, the Nodal Officer has the authority to hold a hearing on a case-by-case basis to ensure the complaint is legitimate before taking any necessary actions.
Upon receiving instructions from the Nodal Officer, the digital platforms will be required to promptly delete internet links hosting pirated content within 48 hours.
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act of 2023 tackles a multitude of concerns related to film certification, unauthorized recording and exhibition of films, and most importantly, the alarming threat of film piracy through unauthorized internet distribution.
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