Industry stops the show, earns govt sops

MUMBAI, Aug 18: The film industry’s show of strength – a 5,000-strong morcha from Mehboob Studio in Bandra to Azad Maidan today – elicited from Chief Minister Manohar Joshi a promise of enacting special laws, on the lines of those already in force in Tamil Nadu, to stamp out video piracy in the state. Joshi, who met an industry delegation comprising Madhuri Dixit, Aamir Khan, Sunil Shetty, Asha Parekh and Yash Chopra among others in his Mantralaya chamber, said a seven-squad anti-piracy cell of Mumbai police would also become operational in a week’s time.

Earlier, in a rare show of unity the entire film industry – actors, directors, producers, exhibitors, technicians – trooped out of Mehboob studio in buses, trucks and open jeaps around 11.30 am. The rally, led by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association president, Sultan Ahmed and Cine Artistes’ Association president, Asha Parekh, stopped outside the Zee and INcablenet office at Worli before taking the shape of a meeting at Azad Maidan at around3.00 pm. Outside Zee and Incablenet offices, which had heavy police bandobast, anti-piracy slogans were raised and small impromptu meetings criticised the two cable networks for screening new releases. “It hurts to see new films being shown on cable a day after their theatre release. We need something like the TADA whereby these offenders have no possibility of getting out on bail,” said Gajanan Shirke, chairman of the Action Committee Against Rampant Cable and Other Piracy. He also alleged that Zee TV and In Mumbai were definitely involved in the piracy business. A charge both the networks have denied.

At Azad Maidan, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit, N N Sippy, Sultan Ahmed, Raza Murad and Asha Parekh. While Aamir urged “everyone involved in the film industry” to get together and not give up till the battle was won, Asha Parekh said she was proud of industry unity and that if they stayed together they could “fight the cable menace.”

“Last year we had a bleakDiwali, and looks like we are heading for a similar situation this time as well. This will definitely take its toll on people associated with the industry,” said Sunil Shetty speaking to newspersons. He added that the industry was anyway going through a major crisis due to the failure of several big films. “People should stop watching pirated copies of new films. I don’t think these pirates should make their money at someone else’s expense,” said Salman Khan. Meanwhile, the strike was total and all activity in Bollywood had came to a standstill as shootings were cancelled and theatres downed shutters. Production work, shootings, dubbing and other film-related activities too were suspended.