Centre’s Anti-Piracy Push is Laudable, Says Suniel Narang
The new provisions include stringent penalties for those involved in the illegal recording and distribution of films, including a minimum jail term of three months and fines up to five percent of a film's production cost
By : BVS Prakash
Update: 2025-07-28 06:10 GMT
Leading Telugu producer and exhibitor Suniel Narang has welcomed the Central government’s recent amendments to the Cinematograph Act, aimed at curbing film piracy.
The new provisions include stringent penalties for those involved in the illegal recording and distribution of films, including a minimum jail term of three months and fines up to five percent of a film's production cost.
“This is truly the right move and could deter at least some of the piracy activities,” said Narang. “The amendments include strict punishment—ranging from a minimum of three months to a maximum of three years of imprisonment, and fines up to five percent of the audited gross production cost. These changes have strengthened the Cinematograph Act.”
Piracy has long been a major concern for the Telugu film industry, with several high-budget films like Game Changer, Thandel, Pushpa: The Rise, and Kalki 2898 AD falling victim to HD leaks shortly after theatrical release. Narang himself suffered losses of over Rs 6 crore for his recent film Kuberaa due to pirated copies flooding the internet within days of its release.
“Piracy must be curtailed as it’s eating into our revenues. The industry is already facing challenges due to declining theatre footfalls,” he said.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan, recently informed Parliament that new provisions—Sections 6AA and 6AB of the Cinematograph Act—explicitly prohibit unauthorized recording and transmission of films. He also highlighted the addition of Section 7(1B)(ii), which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to take down pirated content hosted on digital platforms.
“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) can now receive complaints from copyright holders and issue necessary takedown directions. This will certainly make it easier for us to act swiftly against piracy,” Narang noted.
However, not everyone shares Narang’s optimism. A prominent director, speaking on condition of anonymity, raised concerns about the global nature of piracy. “Many of the culprits are operating from countries like the U.S., France, Africa, and Singapore. Over 50% of pirated content is uploaded through servers located abroad,” the filmmaker said. “Tackling piracy requires coordinated efforts across multiple central agencies and international cooperation—it’s not a problem that can be solved overnight.”
Despite the challenges, industry stakeholders hope the legal overhaul marks the beginning of a more robust fight against piracy, protecting the interests of filmmakers and content creators alike.