India’s media and entertainment sector generated ₹2.32 lakh crore in 2024 and is projected to reach ₹3.08 lakh crore by 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing creative economies in the world. That growth is supported by a dense and rapidly evolving legal architecture spanning copyright, content regulation, data privacy, and platform liability. Whether you operate an OTT platform, a film production house, a music label, or a gaming company, understanding media entertainment law India is no longer optional. This guide maps every major law, its operational impact, and what your business must do to stay compliant and commercially protected.
Key Takeaways
- India’s M&E sector is governed by at least seven distinct legal frameworks, each affecting a different part of the content value chain.
- OTT platforms operate under a mandatory three-tier self-regulatory structure prescribed by the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
- The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced lifetime CBFC certificates, anti-camcording provisions, and new UA sub-categories.
- Music licensing in India requires separate clearances from PPL (for sound recordings) and IPRS (for underlying compositions).
- Online gaming platforms are subject to 28% GST on the full face value of bets placed, effective October 2023.
Key Laws Governing Media and Entertainment in India
India’s content regulation India framework does not sit in a single statute. It is layered across intellectual property law, technology regulation, broadcasting rules, advertising standards, data protection, and competition law. Each layer interacts with the others.
Copyright Act, 1957: The Foundation of M&E
The Copyright Act, 1957 is the cornerstone of entertainment company legal India compliance. It protects literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, cinematograph films, and sound recordings. For production companies and studios, the Act defines authorship, assigns economic rights, and governs licensing arrangements.
Key provisions relevant to M&E operators include:
- Section 17: The employer owns copyright in a work created during the course of employment.
- Section 19: Every assignment of copyright must be in writing and signed.
- Section 31D: Statutory licensing for broadcasting of literary and musical works and sound recordings.
Any production house or digital platform that has not audited its chain-of-title documentation against the Copyright Act, 1957 is operating with unquantified IP risk. For a detailed breakdown of copyright registration and protection strategies, see our guide on Copyright Registration for Businesses in India.
Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 modernized the 65-year-old certification framework and introduced three structural changes that affect producers, distributors, and exhibitors directly. We cover its operational impact in a dedicated section below.
IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021
Part III of the IT Rules 2021 created the first binding content regulation India framework for OTT platforms and digital news publishers. These Rules establish a three-tier self-regulatory mechanism and prescribe content classification obligations, grievance redressal timelines, and government oversight powers.
Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023
The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 is currently pending Parliamentary approval. It proposes to consolidate regulation of television, radio, OTT audio-visual content, and digital news under a single statutory framework. If enacted, it will replace existing licensing regimes and may significantly alter compliance obligations for streaming legal India businesses. Altacit Global is monitoring the Bill’s progress and advising clients on preparation strategies.
ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) Guidelines, 2025
The Advertising Standards Council of India updated its influencer guidelines in 2025 to require mandatory disclosure of material connections, including barter arrangements and gifted products, across all social media platforms. Non-disclosure exposes brands and creators to regulatory action. Advertising agencies structuring influencer campaigns must build contractual disclosure obligations directly into talent agreements.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: M&E Platforms
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) imposes data fiduciary obligations on any platform that collects personal data from Indian users. For M&E platforms, this means obtaining valid consent for behavioral targeting, content personalization, and subscription data processing. The DPDP Act also establishes the Data Protection Board as the adjudicatory authority, with significant financial penalties for non-compliance. For a full compliance walkthrough, read our DPDP Act Compliance Guide.
Competition Act, 2002: Big Platform Regulation
The Competition Act, 2002, as amended in 2023, now applies to digital markets, including large streaming platforms and content aggregators. The Competition Commission of India has the authority to investigate abuse of dominance in content licensing, exclusive windowing deals, and algorithm-driven content suppression. Production companies and distributors negotiating long-term platform deals should factor in competition law risk from the outset.
OTT Platforms: Regulatory Framework in India
OTT law India is anchored in Part III of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which created a mandatory three-tier structure.
Tier | Entity | Function |
Tier I | The OTT Platform | Self-classify content using CBFC-equivalent age ratings; publish content classification criteria; maintain a grievance officer |
Tier II | Self-Regulatory Body | Independent industry body (such as the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council) reviews complaints escalated from Tier I |
Tier III | Government Oversight | Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has overriding powers to block or direct modification of content |
Every OTT platform operating in India must appoint a Grievance Officer based in India, resolve user complaints within 15 days, and maintain content classification records. Platforms that fail to self-classify content correctly expose themselves to direct government intervention at Tier III. If the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 is enacted, this structure will likely be superseded by a unified statutory framework.
Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023: Operational Impact for Producers and Exhibitors
The Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced four changes with direct operational consequences for film production law India compliance:
- Lifetime CBFC Certificates: Films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) now receive lifetime validity. The previous 10-year renewal obligation is eliminated, reducing long-term administrative costs for libraries and catalog holders.
- Anti-Camcording Provisions: Unauthorized recording of a film in a cinema hall is now a criminal offense carrying imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh. Exhibitors must implement detection protocols to avoid liability as facilitators.
- New UA Sub-Categories: The “U/A” certificate has been subdivided into U/A 7+, U/A 13+, and U/A 16+ age bands, aligning Indian certification with international standards and providing OTT platforms with clearer cross-platform classification guidance.
- Revised Revisionary Powers: The central government retains the authority to direct re-examination of certified films in the public interest, a provision that production companies must account for in distribution agreements and insurance arrangements.
Copyright in M&E: Ownership and Licensing Framework
Who Owns a Film?
Under Section 2(d)(v) of the Copyright Act, 1957, the producer of a cinematograph film is the first owner of copyright in the film. This is a statutory default that can be modified by contract. In practice, ownership is fragmented across multiple contributors, including:
- The screenplay writer (literary work)
- The music composer (musical work)
- The lyricist (literary work)
- The director (in some jurisdictions, but not automatically in India)
- The performers (performers’ rights under Section 38)
A production company must secure assignments or licenses from each contributor before the film reaches distribution. Gaps in chain-of-title documentation routinely block OTT acquisition deals and international co-production financing.
AI-Generated Content: Who Owns It?
The Copyright Act, 1957 does not currently recognize AI as an author. Copyright subsists in works created by human authors. Where AI tools are used to generate scripts, music, or visual assets, the legal question is whether the human operator’s creative contribution is sufficient to establish authorship.
Altacit Global advises M&E companies to document the human creative inputs that direct AI outputs, structure contractual ownership clauses explicitly in production agreements, and treat AI-generated elements as a distinct category in IP audits. Judicial and regulatory clarity on this point is expected to develop significantly between 2025 and 2026
Music Licensing in India: Navigating PPL, IPRS, and Copyright Societies
Music clearance in India requires two separate licenses because Indian copyright law separates sound recordings from the underlying musical compositions and lyrics.
License | Issued By | What It Covers |
Sound Recording License | Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) | The recorded track (the master) |
Underlying Composition License | Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS) | The music composition and lyrics |
An OTT platform or broadcaster that licenses only from PPL without an IPRS clearance is infringing the rights of composers and lyricists. Both licenses are required for any public performance, broadcast, or streaming use.
Beyond PPL and IPRS, platforms must also verify whether specific tracks have been licensed directly by the rights holder outside the copyright society framework, as Indian labels increasingly negotiate direct platform deals. Altacit Global’s entertainment practice advises streaming legal India clients on building music licensing compliance systems that track both copyright society obligations and direct licenses.
Gaming and Esports: Legal Position in India
India does not have a unified gaming law. The legal framework for gaming companies operates across multiple statutes, with three issues dominating compliance planning in 2025 and 2026.
GST at 28%
Effective October 1, 2023, online gaming platforms are liable to pay 28% GST on the full face value of bets or entry fees collected, not on the gross gaming revenue or platform margin. This is a structural cost that affects pricing models, bonus structuring, and user acquisition economics. The distinction between “games of skill” and “games of chance” does not exempt platforms from this tax.
DPDP Act Compliance
Gaming platforms collect significant volumes of personal data including payment data, behavioral data, and for platforms serving minors, age-verification data. Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, gaming companies must establish a lawful basis for each processing activity, implement data minimization practices, and appoint a Data Protection Officer if processing data at significant scale.
Esports Recognition
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recognized esports as a part of multi-sport events in 2022. While this does not create direct licensing obligations, it affects how esports companies structure prize pools, athlete contracts, and sponsorship agreements from both a tax and labor law perspective.
How Altacit Global Can Protect Your M&E Business
India’s media and entertainment legal landscape is not static. The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 remains pending. DPDP Act rules are still being notified. AI and copyright jurisprudence is forming in real time. For businesses operating in this environment, compliance is not a one-time exercise.
Altacit Global advises OTT platforms, film and television production companies, content studios, music companies, advertising agencies, and gaming operators across our offices in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kochi. Our entertainment law practice covers content regulation, IP structuring, music licensing, platform compliance, data protection, and esports legal frameworks.
To discuss how your business should be structured to protect its content and manage regulatory risk in 2025 and 2026, contact our team at info@altacit.com.
Frequently Asked Questions: Media Entertainment Law India
Q1: Is an OTT platform required to have a CBFC certificate in India?
No. OTT platforms are not required to obtain a CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) certificate for content streamed directly online. The CBFC certification mandate applies to films intended for theatrical exhibition. However, OTT platforms operating in India must self-classify content using age-rating categories under Part III of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. If the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 is enacted, this framework may change.
Q2: What are the legal requirements for an influencer in India?
Influencers operating in India must comply with the ASCI Guidelines, 2025, which require clear and prominent disclosure of any material connection with the brand, including paid partnerships, gifted products, and affiliate arrangements. Disclosures must appear in the language of the post and be visible without requiring the audience to expand the caption. Brands and advertising agencies that engage influencers must contractually mandate these disclosures, as regulatory complaints can be directed at both the influencer and the advertiser.
Q3: Can AI compose music that is protected by copyright in India?
Under the current Copyright Act, 1957, copyright protection requires a human author. AI-generated music, where no sufficient human creative contribution can be identified, does not automatically attract copyright protection in India. However, if a human composer uses AI as a tool and exercises creative judgment in directing, selecting, and arranging outputs, that contribution may support a copyright claim. This is an evolving area, and Altacit Global recommends that music companies using AI in production document human creative inputs comprehensively.
Q4: What is the 28% GST on online gaming and what does it cover?
The 28% GST rate on online gaming, effective October 1, 2023, applies to the full face value of each bet or entry fee paid by a user, regardless of whether the game is classified as a game of skill or chance. Previously, many platforms paid GST only on platform fees. The revised framework significantly increases the effective tax burden and affects how gaming companies structure deposits, bonuses, and promotional credits. Any gaming platform that has not reconfigured its tax compliance systems since October 2023 is at risk of retrospective liability.
Q5: What data obligations does a gaming platform have under the DPDP Act?
Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, a gaming platform operating in India must: (1) collect personal data only for a specified, lawful purpose; (2) obtain free, informed, specific, and unconditional consent from users before processing their data; (3) implement reasonable security safeguards; (4) honor data erasure requests; and (5) provide additional protections when processing data of children or persons with disabilities. Platforms that process personal data of a significant number of users may be designated as Significant Data Fiduciaries, attracting enhanced obligations including mandatory data protection impact assessments.
