CBFC Chief Pahalaj Nihalani has introduced new measures to fight piracy. Recently, censor copies of Udta Punjab and Great Grand Masti were leaked online days before their release, resulting in huge loss of revenue for the producers. To combat such leaks, the CBFC has now decided to accept films for certification only if they are in the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) format.
The DCP is an encrypted form of storage. It is a collection of digital files to store and share audio, image and data streams. The film, once converted into the DCP format, is time-coded and space-coded and only accessible with a complex password.
The CBFC, with the approval of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, has sent out letters instructing the film fraternity to share their films only through DCP. The process should be fully enforced by 1 September.
The film fraternity has been largely supportive of CBFC’s new initiatives. Filmmaker Vijay Galani, a member of Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC) said, “It is now mandatory for all producers to submit their film for certification only via DCP. The CBFC chief will accept no other forms of communication.”
Galani believes that minimizing the number of people who have access to films before the release, will prevent unauthorised use. “DCP leaves no scope for mischief,” he said.
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Bringing to attention, the huge loss of revenue due to piracy, N R Pachisia, General Secretary of the IFTPC said, “It is not just the producers losing money but also the Central Government, which loses crores in entertainment tax because of piracy,” Pachisia added. Censor copy leaks have created an atmosphere of fear among the filmmakers. “While it may have had only a minor effect on Udta Punjab, it damaged Ekta Kapoor’s Great Grand Masti. Piracy really kills,” he said.
Meanwhile, there have been many incidents of piracy in the South as well. Rajinikanth-starrer Kabali bore the brunt of this issue. Despite preventive action by Producer S Thanu, a pirated version of Kabali wound up on the Internet on the day of its release. Suriya-starrer sci-fi drama, 24, was also leaked from a private viewing room in Bangalore.
Read: Kabali Producer Thanu Approaches High Court Again After Piracy Measures Fail
Feature image courtesy: Dailyo.in