Pirates of Tollywood

doweshowbellyad=0; The pirated version of recently released minister Fatakeshto is a rage (TOI Photo)Technology is now at our fingertips and hence, even sneaking in the smallest of cameras is not unheard of
Picture this: Walking down a crowded footpath on Burrabazar, you try your best to watch your step, instead of the wares being sold. You cross a small CD shop, only to stop and walk back to it.It’s not the latest blue film CD that has caught your attention but the pirated version of the recently released minister Fatakeshto that’s selling like hot cakes from the makeshift shop!
Directors and producers in Tollywood are at a complete loss, not knowing how to tackle this ever-growing menace of piracy. Says Ashok Dhanuka, producer and video rights owner of most Bengali films, Piracy in the Bengali film industry was always there. But it’s going out of control now.
Since I hold the video rights of most of these films, I know how bad the situation can be. Almost 120-125 halls have already shut down because of the threat of piracy. The government loss goes into crores. This fact is also corroborated by director Haranath Chakraborty.
Technology is now at our fingertips and hence, even sneaking in the smallest of cameras is not unheard of, rues Chakraborty. As most directors and producers seem to be aware of the threats of piracy looming large over them, they are unanimous when it comes to accepting that the government should be more active in tackling this menace.
Says Dhanuka, I’ve personally taken up the task of fighting piracy and have made numerous rounds of Writers’ Buildings and Lalbazar and also had meetings with the PA to the CM. But, all my efforts have gone in vain. If the administration doesn’t take stern steps, how much can we do? In spite of informing the police on a number of occasions, we have failed to see results.
This is where the blame game starts. While producers and distributors would like to believe that the administration and police aren’t being cooperative enough, directors opine that preventing piracy is not exactly their task.
Says veteran director Prabhat Roy, The producer, distributor and exhibitor of the film have to take a stand and see to its ‘safety’. We had once decided on introducing code numbers for every cinema hall that would be flashed on the screen during the screening and when the film would be lifted from the hall, the code would also get lifted in turn. This will help in tracing the origin of the piracy.
Just after Lathi was released, we got a lot of reports on piracy but by the time we came down to some action, pirated CDs of the film had flooded the market.
With a flourishing market not just in Kolkata but also in the suburbs, says Chakraborty, Most of the times, these videos are made here and sent to Bangladesh, from where they get circulated. Warding piracy is not the responsibility of any one person. We have to first get over our infighting over who exactly are the watchdogs and then hope for a solution.
Sorsher madhye bhoot thakle ja hoye. It’s not that steps have not been taken by the producer fraternity. Says Shrikant Mohta, producer of blockbusters like MLA Fatakeshto and Minister Fatakeshto, An armed guard accompanies every print that we send out to the halls but I do accept that this isn’t enough. Pirated CDs are flooding the market. The menace is less in Kolkata but more in rural Bengal where video parlours are a rage.
Talk of video parlours and Dhanuka recalls an instance when they had gone on a raid in a video parlour in Asansol. We were shocked at the number of CDs that were stacked on the racks and the one that was being screened was titled Mr. X.
We all expected a blue film instead it was a hit Bengali film, he laughs. So while the hunt is still on, a happy and safe viewing is more than we can ask for.