Piracy is a growing virus that for years has increasingly resulted in revenue losses for the Indian film industry. Big production houses like Yash Raj Films, UTV, Eros International, Shemaroo and Moser Baer joined hands a few years back, to invest a ‘significant amount’ to fight video piracy. They want a law to stop piracy. Taking anti-piracy actions, change in pricing and customer awareness are some of the ways that can bring down the piracy rate, according to one of the producers.
And while they are trying their level best to fight against piracy, film critic Raja Sen in a recent column suggested that viewers should watch pirated versions of Bhatt’s film Blood Money to seek revenge from Viacom 18, the co-producers of the film, for not releasing Hollywood flick Hugo in India. Producer Mukesh Bhatt decided to take legal action against Sen.
Sen wrote: ‘I recommend at least some mild revenge if we don’t get a taste of Hugo in 3D: Viacom 18’s next release, Blood Money, hits theatres on the 30th of March, and I feel we should do with it exactly what they suggest we do with Marty’s (Martin Scorsese’s) film: do please pirate it, won’t you?’
Bhatt is shocked and lashes out: “I am shocked, as a film producer and as the vice president of the film producers’ guild. We are talking to the PM to take action against piracy and here’s someone advocating it. We’ve sent him a legal notice.”
Sen reacted via Twitter: ‘I have nothing against Blood money. If Gangs Of Wasseypur, one of my most awaited films of the year, was up next, I’d have said the same.’
We will keep you updated on this issue.
