Entertainment industry welcomes move to curb piracy in budget

The media and entertainment industry expects the budget proposals of single-window clearance for film shootings and anti-camcording provisions to control piracy, help the sector to grow at a faster pace.

"The interim budget has provided a tremendous fillip to the Indian entertainment industry with the provision of single window clearance for films. Such policy provisions that seek to enhance ease of doing business will help the around Rs 15,600 crore industry grow at a faster clip," Viacom18 Group chief executive officer and managing director Sudhanshu Vats said.

"We welcome the move to include anti-camcording provisions as part of the Cinematography Act. This will ensure that in-theatre pirated recordings now become a penal offence and will act as a strong deterrent to piracy," Vats said.

READ| SUPER VIRAL: Bollywood Stars Who Met PM Modi Share Bonkers Video Of Party In The Sky Aboard Private Jet

The single-window clearance system was earlier available only to foreign filmmakers shooting in India, and now it is being extended to Indian filmmakers also.

The entertainment industry is a major employment generator and the move would help the filmmakers from all languages, he said.

According to EY India partner, media & entertainment Utkarsh Sanghvi, the government has already set up a film facilitation office (FFO) for enabling a single window clearance for foreign film companies shooting in India.

"It is a welcome measure for Indian films to take benefit of FFO.  Most of the permissions required from Central and state government agencies are expected to be received from a single online application," he said.

Digital cinema distribution firm UFO Moviez said the introduction the anti-camcording provision as part of the Cinematography Act to fight against piracy, will give teeth to the law to take stringent action against the offender and will ensure the reduction of losses the film industry incurs.

Expressing a similar sentiment, online entertainment ticketing platform BookMyShow said, "we whole-heartedly support the government's move to curb piracy through the introduction of the anti-camcording provision in the Cinematography Act.

With these measures, we expect the regulatory framework of the entertainment industry to significantly change for the better, it said.

READ| PM Modi Responds With Pleasant Words After Bollywood Bigwigs Share 'fan Moment', Honour Of Meeting Him

KPMG partner and head media and entertainment, Girish Menon said, "The primary source of cheer was the launch of single window clearance for all the requisite permissions for film shooting within the country. In addition, more stringent provisions to the Cinematography Act to combat privacy will also help in protecting and strengthening IP within the industry.

"The greatest impact on the media and entertainment industry is likely to be from the continued push towards equitable and universal digitisation for Indians rather than from any direct incentive, coupled with announcement of 1 lakh digital villages in the next 5 years, which will accelerate the process of digitisation in the country," he added.