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TO
PROTEST GOVT INDIFFERENCE TOWARDS CURBING FILM PIRACY
Cinemas in Maharashtra to down
shutters on December 20
By MSM Desai
More than 1,000 cinemas in Maharashtra will down their shutters
on December 20 in protest against the Government of Maharashtra’s
reluctance in curbing video piracy despite the latest amendment
in the cable act. Letters to this effect have been sent to
the chief minister, deputy chief minister and revenue minister
and the implementing authorities, including the police and
district collectors.
*** Industry says state has done nothing
to implement cable act amendment
*** Recent releases have all been hit by rampant piracy
*** Industry’s own anti-piracy cell suffers for want
of funds |
At a joint meeting of the Indian Motion Picture Distributors
Association (IMPDA) and the Cinematograph Exhibitors Association
of India (CEAI), the Theatre Owners Association( TOA) and
the Central Circuit Cine Association (CCCA) which represents
the cinemas owners in Vidharbha region, held on December 3,
it was decided to close down cinemas in the state to make
the authorities realise the effect of rampant piracy of films
on cable and its impact on the film trade.
Gunwantrai Desai, president of the CEAI, who initiated the
move said that it had become impossible for the cinemas to
survive with low collections due to cable piracy. “Audience
will not come to theatres if they are going to see the latest
films on the same day in the cable. There has been 40 to 50
per cent drop in the theatrical collections. The Central Government
has recently amended the cable rules so that no cable operator
can show any film without permission and stringent punishment
has been laid down. Yet, neither the ministers nor the police
and district authorities are implementing the rules and booking
the erring cable operators. The film industry has made many
representations while the Chief minister and deputy chief
minister have been giving just lip service to us,” he
pointed out.
NN Sippy, president of IMPDA, said that it will not be just
a token strike on December 20, but it will be repeated every
three months to wake up the government machinery from their
slumber. Sippy pointed out that distributors and exhibitors
were sailing in the same boat as far as the slump in the theatrical
business is concerned. When the representatives of exhibitors’
association approached us, we readily supported their move”,
he said.
Santosh Singh Jain, president of the CCCA said that a token
strike was necessary to draw the government’s attention
not merely to protest against the non-implementation of the
cable and copyright acts but also against the 500 per cent
hike in the annual licensing fees. He said that the producers
have also been asked to join the strike.
A combined meeting of producers, distributors and exhibitors
is on the cards to chalk out the strategy to draw the attention
of the chief minister, deputy chief minister and the revenue
minister who are camping in Nagpur for the Winter Session.
Efforts are also on to pin down the police commissioners and
district collectors to vigorously implement the law and stop
the piracy, said Gunwantrai Desai.
However, there appears to be no initiative on the part of
producers to curb the menace of piracy. Last year, the All
India Film Producers Council set up an anti-piracy cell and
decided that all the producers who take out more than 50 prints
should pay Rs 1000 per print to the cell. “Nobody has
paid the money so far. Then how can the Cell operate without
funds?” asked Surinder Kapoor, president of the Guild.
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