Zakir Hussain
Dimapur | January 20
Piracy is a painful and completely foul practice. The advances in technology has made it exceedingly easy for pirates to earn vast profits from the creative efforts of musicians, song-writers and singers and the companies who spend in nurturing and promoting their talents. The pirates apart from not having to bear any royalty or marketing costs are depriving the exchequer of crores of rupees in legitimate taxes.
Despite strict laws to check all forms of piracy and in-spite of great awareness against them, it is still common to see pirated cassettes and CDs in the market freely copied which is a deliberate violation of Copyright acts and a complete disregard to human principles and feelings. But, of all kinds of piracy, it is the one that take place in cinema which is most frightening, as huge money is involved in this. Imagine a work of celluloid which costs crores of rupees being duplicated in cassettes or disks and dispersed through video parlours, cafes and shops etc.
The latest movie which is being telecast by the TV channels is an open disrespect to the law. Copying a film is very easy with the present level of technology.
Of course, pirated material is of very poor quality, the sound is hardly clear and the images can be blurred. But in country like India with a billion people, the majority finds a cinema ticket still costly. In Dimapur, piracy is on the rise with pirated cassettes and disks are being sold openly in the Hongkong Market area. And our cinema halls almost died due to piracy, as most of the people buy these pirated disks to watch latest movies in the comfort of their homes.
While talking to few shop-owners in the Hongkong Market area, they informed that piracy has been done here in Dimapur itself by a group of people who normally come and take order of the numbers of latest Hindi and English albums and movies from the shop-owners. “The group also have colour Xerox machines for photocopy,” the owners said.
They disclosed that the CDs cost nearly Rs. 14 and also informed that the Korean DVDs usually come through Manipur side.
Confessing the presence of piracy in Dimapur, Superintendent of Police, Dimapur SR Saravanan IPS, said that the police during checking seized many pirated cassettes and CDs in the past but were unable to take action against the pirates as there were no complaints against them by any companies or individuals.
The SP said that piracy is illegal and it is punishable and offensive crime.
Stating about the helplessness of police, he said that unless the national and international companies or an individual come forward to register complaints about piracy and pirates, the police cannot do much. “Police cannot prevent piracy as nobody comes to register complaints,” he underlined.
Saravanan also mentioned that if specific complaints come to the police than we are ready for action.
He also disclosed that piracy is an organised crime and these pirates are mostly active in metros like Delhi, but here in Dimapur, it is not an organised business or crime as copying can easily done with computers, scanner and printer by an individual.
The SP said that it is a victimless offence but to prevent this crime, people should buy cassettes and CDs with brand-name.
While admitting that pirated cassettes and CDs are openly sold in Hongkong Market area, he said that the police are helpless; unless the companies and individuals come forward we can do nothing. He also admitted the presence of Korean DVDs which are smuggled through the ‘golden triangle.’
Kashito Sumi, the proprietor of Pheto Music Entertainment Agency, while explaining about the seriousness about piracy in the State, said that “If piracy is there we cannot sell our original products; market as well as the artists will be in the losing side.”
Sumi narrated that the national companies along with the police used to check the presence of pirated cassettes and CDs in Dimapur, but once they are paid by the pirates, they go back.
He also admitted that piracy is all over the world and due to latest technology people easily copy things.
“Piracy is affecting major music industry not only in Nagaland but everywhere,” Sumi revealed and maintained that something should be done to overcome this problem; the authorities along with the administrator must take step to prevent the crime, he added.
