Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2021 which proposes to penalise film piracy with a jail term and fine, introduce age-based certification, and empower the Central government to order recertification of an already certified film following receipt of complaints, is not a blow to the film industry says Shyam Benegal.
Several industry veterans, including actors and filmmakers, have called the proposal a “blow to the film fraternity” as they believe it will potentially endanger freedom of expression and democratic dissent in their letter to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday.
On June 18, the Centre had sought public comments on the draft and several industry leaders had express strong views opposing the same.
Shyam Benegal, who headed a committee to take a holistic look at the functioning of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and submitted its report to the I&B Ministry in 2016, said the proposed amendment doesn’t make sense.
The veteran said when there’s already an existing system of the CBFC, there should be no outside control, especially by the government.
Cinematograph Amendment bill 2021 does not hurt film industry says experts
“The government, in this case, has no role to play because they’ve already set up a system- the CBFC. So why is there a need for the government to come back into it? Naturally, the filmmakers would be worried that why is the government so concerned.
“When there are well laid out principles, under which cinema, TV are already covered, now why do you have to come into it, particularly the government in power? People, opposition parties all will be concerned because it’s a power you’re not supposed to exercise. What’s the point of having an amendment?”
The Benegal-led committee had recommended that there should be no system of imposing excisions, modifications and changes to a film and that the CBFC should function purely as a certification body.