India Expands Labour Protections for Audio-Visual Workforce

The government has introduced a major overhaul of labour protections for India’s rapidly growing audio-visual sector, bringing film, television, digital media, and related creative professions under a unified regulatory framework. The reforms emerge from the consolidation of 29 labour laws into four Labour Codes, which officials describe as a transformative step for an industry reshaped by OTT platforms, digital content creation, dubbing services, and high-risk stunt productions.

A central feature of the overhaul is the shift from the earlier category of “cine workers” to a broader and more inclusive definition of “audio-visual workers.” This new classification formally recognises a wide range of professionals—including digital creators, electronic-media journalists, dubbing artists, and stunt personnel—ensuring they receive legal protection, social-security coverage, and standardized working conditions.

Under the new framework, every employee must be issued an appointment letter detailing terms of engagement, wages, and social-security entitlements. Employers are also mandated to provide wage slips in physical or digital form to enhance transparency. The window for filing labour claims has been extended to three years, giving workers more time to seek justice.

Wage security measures have been significantly strengthened. Minimum wages, earlier limited to scheduled sectors, will now apply universally, backed by a national floor wage that will be periodically revised to maintain consistency across states. Overtime work will require an employee’s consent and must be compensated at no less than twice the regular rate.

Producers will bear responsibility for wage payments if contractors default, a move expected to protect more workers. Those earning within notified limits will remain eligible for annual bonuses of up to 20 percent.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code widens coverage to all sector-related establishments. It mandates free annual health check-ups for workers over 40, caps daily working hours at eight, and reduces the eligibility threshold for paid annual leave from 240 to 180 days. The reforms also prohibit gender-based discrimination in recruitment, wages, and workplace conditions.