The ministry of information and broadcasting is looking at merging the copyright board with IPAB i.e. Intellectual Property Appellate Board.

It is said that, The Copyright Board is set to be merged with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) under the Finance Bill, 2017 that was passed in the Lok Sabha.

Intellectual property law for the Indian entertainment industry, especially the film industry has initiated discussion with the ministry of commerce and industry to work out for the same.

The secretary of information and broadcasting Ajay Mittal said at the Ficci frames event held in Mumbai that the “censorship challenges posed by fringe elements would be surrounded by the constitution and rule of law.

The secretary also laid emphasis o the ease of shooting a film in India by announcing new category of visa called the film visa

Film visa

  1. Foreigners or a foreign team for shooting of feature film or television/cinema and reality TV show/commercial TV show/ commercial TV serials.
    Proposals regarding the shooting of a feature film or television/ cinema and reality TV show/ commercial TV serials will be processed in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, who will process the request and take decision within a specific time frame of maximum period of 60 days.

Important:

Foreigners being given Film Visa should adhere to the norms and regulations of foreigner’s guidelines during their stay in the country and visit only the areas permitted for their visit. They should not visit any restricted/ protected area or prohibited place without prior permission of the competent authority.

  • Money transaction for shooting of film should be done as per RBI guidelines.
  • The visa would be project specific i.e. film specific.
  • The international cast and crew coming to India on a Film Visa for the film shoot shall be employed by the Foreign Company seeking permission to shoot the film in India and the said company shall take the responsibility for the cast and crew coming to India for filming. The foreigners coming on Film Visa will have to register himself/ herself with the FRRO/ FRO concerned irrespective of the duration of the Film Visa/ stay of the foreigner in India.
  • Considering the fact that the cast and crew may be coming from a country which is not the same as that of the Foreign Production Company which is producing the film, the Indian Mission/Post  of that respective country will issue the Film Visa to the concerned person.
  • For shooting of documentary film/ advertisement film in India by a foreigner, the procedure for “Journalist Visa” will be applicable.