April 30, 2026
THIMPHU – The government is working on strengthening copyright laws as film piracy continues to undermine the country’s small but growing film industry.
For filmmakers working in a small, fragile market, even a single leak can erode returns and jeopardise entire productions.
In a recent case, a man was caught recording the film “Pindarika” inside a cinema. “We checked his phone and found he had recorded around one hour and 15 minutes of the film,” the producer of the film said.
The individual was taken to the police, and his phone was seized amid fears that the footage might already have been shared online. The case was ultimately settled through a compromise after the man claimed he had not distributed the recording.
He signed a legally binding agreement holding him accountable should the footage surface on social media.
In a separate incident during the screening in Paro, a minor was also caught recording the film. “Because she was a minor, we only warned her about the seriousness of the action,” the producer said.
Filmmakers say such cases illustrate both the frequency of piracy and the difficulty of enforcing existing laws.
“We were fortunate to catch both incidents red-handed,” the producer said. “If we hadn’t, it would have been very difficult to trace the source, and the losses could have been significant.”
While short clips shared informally by audiences are often viewed as harmless, producers argue that unauthorised recording, regardless of intent, constitutes piracy. Many in the industry say Bhutan’s legal framework lacks the strength to deter such behaviour.
The producer of “Sheindrey” described a more damaging case, in which a full recording of the film circulated on Telegram shortly after its release. “Whenever a film gets leaked, it becomes very difficult for us,” the producer said. “We lose revenue, and it disrupts our marketing.”
An internal investigation traced the leak to a student, but pursuing legal action proved impractical. “Even if we file a case, a student would have no means to pay penalties,” the producer said.
The issue is further compounded by the legal classification of such offences. “The police do not accept most copyright and piracy cases under their mandate, as they are considered civil matters rather than criminal offences,” said the producer.
This, he added, reflects a broader problem. “Intellectual property rights are taken lightly because there is no strong law or regulation emphasising that such actions are criminal in nature.”
Officials at the Department of Media, Creative Industry and Intellectual Property (DoMCIIP) acknowledge the scale of the challenge and the constraints of the current system. Under existing law, intellectual property rights are treated as private rights, requiring rights holders to initiate enforcement.
“Under the current legal framework, the department is not mandated to take suo moto action,” a DoMCIIP official said.
Despite this, DoMCIIP has stepped up efforts to curb piracy. Measures include advisories to cinema halls, mandatory anti-piracy warnings before screenings and coordination with the Bhutan Information Communication and Media Authority and the Royal Bhutan Police in cases involving serious infringement, particularly illegal recording and large-scale distribution.
In the digital space, DoMCIIP supports filmmakers in identifying infringing content and facilitates notice-and-takedown actions on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Telegram.
At the same time, public awareness campaigns and outreach programmes are being conducted to educate both creators and audiences about copyright, licensing and digital monetisation.
The Copyright Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2001 was enacted before the rise of digital platforms and does not adequately address online piracy or modern digital rights management.
“There are limitations in real-time monitoring capacity, making it difficult to track instant uploads and rapid sharing,”the DoMCIIP official said.
Weak deterrence, low reporting of casual piracy, and jurisdictional challenges with global platforms further complicate enforcement.
To address these issues, the government is undertaking a comprehensive revision of the Copyright Act. The proposed amendments introduce new digital-era protections, including the “making available” right, as well as provisions on Technological Protection Measures and Rights Management Information. These changes are intended to give creators greater control over how their work is shared online and to strengthen safeguards against unauthorised access and distribution.
The revised framework will also establish clearer procedures for notice-and-takedown actions, improve coordination with enforcement agencies, and enable more effective responses to repeated or large-scale infringement. It will expand protection to cover emerging forms of digital content and align Bhutan’s laws with international standards, including the WIPO Internet Treaties.
Addressing in-theatre piracy remains a priority. “With the widespread use of smartphones, recording inside cinemas has become one of the most immediate sources of film piracy,” the DoMCIIP official said.
The department is encouraging practical measures such as public announcements, stricter monitoring, and ticket conditions prohibiting recording. It is also exploring technological solutions like watermarking and forensic marking, though these depend on feasibility within the Bhutanese context.
Ultimately, officials said lasting change depends not only on stronger laws but also on public behaviour. “Enforcement alone is not sufficient,” the DoMCIIP official said.
Nationwide campaigns, school programmes, and digital outreach are being used to highlight the impact of piracy on livelihoods and to encourage audiences to support films through legal channels.