Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to be introduced to prevent piracy, govt says

The government will introduce the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to introduce steeper fines for piracy, it indicated in Parliament. The Cinematograph Amendment Bill has been through procedural steps in Parliament since February 2019, since it was introduced, according to PRS Legislative Research. The government cited an industry report that piracy led to Rs 2,100 crore in annual losses to the media and entertainment industry in India.

“In order to curb piracy of films, the Government introduced the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha on 12.02.2019 to impose strict penalties against unauthorized duplication of films in cinema halls.

The Standing Committee on Information Technology (2019-20) presented its Report on the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on 16th March, 2020. The recommendations/ observations contained in the Report of the Standing Committee on Information Technology have been examined for making necessary amendment to clauses in the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and for the subsequent introduction of the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021.” — I&B Ministry in Parliamentary Response

The government was responding to a Lok Sabha query by BJP MPs Sukanta Majumdar, Nisith Pramanik, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Bhola Singh, Rajveer Singh, and Vinod Kumar Sonkar.

Full question and answer
Will the Minister of Information and Broadcasting be pleased to state:-

(a) whether media and entertainment industry loses crores of rupees due to film, video, music and online piracy;

(b) if so, the details of the quantum of such losses during the last three years;

(c) whether government is planning to bring the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021;

(d) if so, the details and the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government has accepted the recommendations of Standing Committee Report on the above mentioned Bill and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to tackle the menace of piracy in Media and Entertainment Industry in the country?

Answer
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Minister of Information and Broadcasting; and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises

(Prakash Javadekar):

(a) & (b): The Media and Entertainment Industry loses substantial revenue due to film, video, music and online piracy. According to a report by Irdeto, which is a global solutions provider in digital platform security and media and entertainment, the Indian Media and Entertainment Industry loses around Rs.2,100 crore of its annual revenue due to piracy. However, no definite data is available in this regard year-wise.

(c) to (e): In order to curb piracy of films, the Government introduced the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha on 12.02.2019 to impose strict penalties against unauthorized duplication of films in cinema halls.

The Standing Committee on Information Technology (2019-20) presented its Report on the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on 16th March, 2020. The recommendations/ observations contained in the Report of the Standing Committee on Information Technology have been examined for making necessary amendment to clauses in the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and for the subsequent introduction of the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

(f): The Copyright Act, 1957 as amended in 2012, provides civil remedies as well as criminal remedies to the copyright holder. The Copyright Act, 1957 read with the Copyright Rules, 2013, deals with the menace of piracy in Media and Entertainment Industry. Further, the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules 2011 notified under section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, inter alia, specifies that the intermediaries shall inform the users of their computer resource not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that infringes any patent, trademark, copyright or other proprietary rights. Medianama