The Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on July 20, 2023. The Bill amends the Cinematograph Act, 1952.  The Act constitutes the Board of Film Certification for certifying films for exhibition.  Such certifications may be subject to modifications/deletions.  The Board may also refuse the exhibition of a films.

• It seeks to amend the Cinematograph Act 1952.
• It has provisions for harsher punishment for film piracy and the introduction of new-age categories for classifying films.
• Film Classification:
  • It has provisions to classify films on the basis of age group instead of the current practice of rating them "U" (unrestricted public exhibition), "A" (restricted to adult audiences), and "UA" (unrestricted public exhibition subject to parental guidance for children below the age of 12).
  • The amendments seek to add new classifications – ‘UA-7+’, ‘UA-13+’, and ‘UA-16+’ in place for 12 years.
  • It also seeks to bring about uniformity in categorisation of films and content across platforms.
• Stricter Laws Against Piracy:
• The Bill holds stricter punishment for those responsible for piracy. This includes three years of imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh penalty for those engaged in piracy.
• Once the Bill is released, the act of piracy will be considered an offence legally and will include even transmitting pirated content punishable.