    
Mahifans
Pilla Bewarse
Username: Mahifans
Post Number: 342
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 203.126.245.198
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 16, 2004 - 3:44 pm: |    |
The Mahesh Babu controversy might have made for sensational news. But on a more serious note, it has once again brought to light the nightmare of Tollywood - piracy. "It's like a cancer that spoils the industry," says Dr Dasari Narayana Rao, noted director and a union minister. Piracy has gained more momentum in recent times. According to D Suresh Babu, the president of Producers' Council, "Every year we are losing more than 200 crore rupees due to this. It reduces the success rate of a movie and makes buyers and exhibitors undergo huge losses."
In recent times actor Mahesh Babu and director Guna Sekhar conducted an anti piracy tour for their new venture Arjun .
According to them, "In Warangal itself we found more than 3,000 pirated CDs of our film. Going by that figure, you can put an estimate on the actual magnitude of piracy in the entire state." "We are spending crores per film. But due to pirated CDs viewers can watch the same for just Rs 20. How do we benefit?" ask producers.
The latest development is that our central ministers, Jaipal Reddy and Dasari Narayana Rao have made a suggestion to Tollywood stalwarts to meet them in New Delhi to solve the problem.
Our industry has even come up with workable solutions to this problem. Says Suresh Babu, "We have demanded that a task force be set up. We can provide funds if they want it. Also, permissions must not be given to establish video libraries everywhere. And there should be a proper check on libraries and cable net works. The cable channels should give their monthly programme details before telecast. And since the fans of all the heroes are ready to lend support, the police should give their co-operation to them."
Though there are current laws protecting the industry from piracy, loopholes can always be found. Explains Suresh Babu, "There is a copyright act to deal with piracy cases. All the higher officials in the police department have been extending their support. But the lower level people in the department don't take it as seriously. That's how culprits escaped the law." As he points out, "When Mahesh's fans caught a video store with pirated CDs. Mahesh wanted the police take action on the piracy culprits but they went and put six to seven cases on the hero. See what s going on?"
Pirated CDs can be developed in many ways and one copy is enough to make thousands of copies. The entire industry is up in arms. "Film making is about our survival, we can fight for it. Don't make us criminals," says an angry Allu Arvind.
And Mahesh Babu is all fire and brimstone when he says, "If it's not controlled, we might as well give up acting."
|
