Producers’ guild says Board asking them to cough up more money
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; August 12, 2016)

A recent meeting of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) witnessed high-voltage drama as members disagreed with chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani on a range of issues, including a new strategy to avoid prerelease piracy of films — producers now have to submit films through a DCP format instead of DVDs. While the Indian Film and Television Producers Council (IFTPC) has welcomed the move, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) has raised concerns over this “expensive” option.

T P Aggarwal, president of IMPPA, argued, “Our guild consists of over 10,000 producers and they are all against this new rule. Converting films to DCP format will cost Rs 60,000-70,000. This will burn a hole in the pockets of small-time and regional filmmakers, who work around a modest budget. Not just that, if the Board recommends any cuts or asks for incorporating a disclaimer or statutory warning, the producers will have to go through the exorbitant process all over again for a second screening of their films", said Aggarwal.

IMPPA has written a series of letters to the CBFC, underlining their concerns over the new format. Aggarwal said, “We have also written to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry about this issue and are waiting for their response.”

Nihalani, in return, argued, “I am doing my job for CBFC and not for IMPPA.” CBFC member Vaani Tripathi Tikoo, supporting the decision, however, said, “It is not compulsory for producers to send their film in DCP format; they send it on DVDs, we will see it. However, it is about safeguarding them in which the IFTPC has supported us. If their film leaks online, they will end up losing crores, so it is better to spend some money on DCP.”