Pirates Of Kollywood

IntheTamillmindustrysneverendingduelwithpiracy, theatresnowface themusic,withthe producers councilturningup theheatonsomeforbeingin cahootswithvideopirates.Manytheatres havedenied complicity,claimingtheaudiencedoes notneedtheir cooperationtoshootclandestiey.

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For many years, the narra­tive around illegal prints of Tamil movies making their way online has revolved around how theatres abroad have been enabling piracy, eating into the revenue of producers.

However, this narrative has shifted: producers be­lieve that it is the theatres in South India that are enabling piracy of Tamil movies by either working hand­in­g love with pirates or not doing enough to stem the rot.

A trade report released by EY in March 2018 pegs the losses due to piracy at around 10% to 30%. The Ta­ mil and Telugu lm indus­ tries are two of the most of proliclm industries in In­ dia, if not in the world, and contribute 34% of the total revenue from movies in India.

The Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC), which has been vocal about ‘isolating’ theatres that routinely ena­ble piracy, released a list of nine theatres — mainly in Ta­ mil Nadu, with and some in neighbouring states — last week. While urging Qube Ci­nema Technologies, one of most well­networked digital distribution companies in South India, to not supply equipment such as projec­ tors to these theatres, TFPC also asked its members to not release new movies in these theatres.

S.R. Prabhu, treasurer, TFPC, said that theatres were culpable and could not pass the buck. “The theatres that are found to be enabling pi­ racy should not be able to play movies anymore. We are meeting the theatre own­ ers association on Tuesday to demand some concrete steps,” he added.

At the meeting on October 23, Mr. Prabhu said that they would also be urging theatre owners to do their bit to control piracy. “We have been urging them to take a num­ ber of measures including employing people just to pre­ vent piracy. We hope that we can come up with a robust set of methods to prevent pi­rates capturing movies from theatres,” he said.