Govt approves jail term for film piracy; B-town hails the move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led centre approved an amendment to the Cinematograph Act 1952 to tackle the menace of film piracy and copyright infringement. There’ll be penal provisions of three-year jail term or Rs 10 lakh fine or both.

While addressing the media on Wednesday, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “If one, without authorisation, undertakes digital duplication of various creative works or by any other means of digital technology, one can be made to suffer three-year jail punishment and Rs 10 lakh fine. This step will help our film industry in dealing with the menace of piracy,” he added.

The move was highly appreciated by Bollywood. Hindi film fraternity members like Siddharth Roy Kapur, Omung Kumar B, Anees Bazmee and Indra Kumar see the government’s approval of a jail term for film piracy as a significant move and an outstanding decision for the industry’s growth.

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of the Producers Guild of India, in a statement said, “This is a significant move to protect intellectual property in our country. This communicates to all stakeholders that as a country we respect and reward innovation and creativity, and will ensure that the rights of owners and creators of this intellectual property are safeguarded.”

Meanwhile, filmmaker Anees Bazmee called it an excellent decision and said, “It will combat the threats of piracy and hopefully, eradicate it completely. The producers and shareholders will be in a better space as their creativity and property will be secured.”

On the other hand, National Award-winning director Omung Kumar B said, “This will ensure that whoever indulges in piracy or cam-cording will be penalised. For the longest time, many films have suffered because they have either been leaked online or prints have been stolen from cinema halls. I believe that with the fear of being penalised and with the law being after those who indulge in piracy, it will act as a huge deterrent, at least significantly.”

Recalling how piracy affected his 2016 film ‘Great Grand Masti’, Filmmaker Indra Kumar termed piracy as a menace, a disease that must be treated. Producer Sandip Singh, who is working on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming biopic, feels that it will surely help the industry to grow.

Also Read: ‘Thugs of Hindostan’ leaked by piracy website Tamil Rockers, within 48 hours of release

Anurag Singh

A Journalist by profession, a writer by own choice. Loves to write and writes to live. Love to write for Politics, Crime and Entertainment beat. Completed my Masters in Communication and Journalism from S.K Somaiya College of Arts, Science & Commerce College.
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