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NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) feels
that the telecast of a Bangla dubbed version of the serial
‘Mahabharata’ by the late B R Chopra will not affect
the fortunes of the film industry and, therefore, cannot be
stopped.
It
has also directed the Eastern India Motion Pictures Association
to ‘dispense’ or modify from its articles of association,
rules and regulations any move to oppose telecast of or ban
of dubbed films or television serials.
Similarly,
the Commission has asked the Co-ordination Committee of Artist
and Technicians of West Bengal Film and Television Industry
not to impose any restrictions in any manner on distribution
and exhibition of the films or TV serials in the areas under
its control.
The
Commission has also decided to separately take action against
members of the Coordination Committee (other than the EIMPA)
for not filing any financial details in the present matter.
The
directive came on a complaint filed by Sajjan Khaitan of Heart
Video who was assigned a Power of Attorney by B.R. TV, Mumbai,
the producer of the TV serial and was appointed the sub-assignor
of Magnum TV Serials, Delhi, who had been entrusted the sole
and exclusive right holders to dub the Hindi version of the
serial in Bengali language for exploiting the Video, Satellite,
Cable etc. of the said TV serial till September 2016.
Khaitan
entered into agreement for time slot on revenue sharing basis
for the telecast of dubbed serial with Bengal Media, Kolkata
(owner of 'Channel 10') and Calcutta Television Network, Kolkata
('Owner of CTVN Plus Channel') in February 2011, but the two
channels received letters asking them to desist from such
telecasts.
Following
the threat of a strike by the employees, Channel 10 discontinued
the telecasts in March 2011 when approached through its chief
advisor Mithun Chakraborty.
An
investigation by the Director General of the CCI found that
the number of television channels in Bengali language has
been on the increasing trend for last many years. The telecast
of Bengali language channels is done through satellite all
over the world including Bangladesh, which makes Bengali language
television channels a lucrative industry.
The
information gathered shows that many new general entertainment
channels in Bengali language have started recently. Thus the
argument of the opposite parties regarding detrimental effect
of dubbed version of 'Mahabharata' serial on local industry
is not based on facts.
According
to the DG, there is a huge potential for the local film artistes.
There is no empirical study or analysis to support the claim
of the OP's that dubbed programs will lead to downfall of
the local industry. In fact, these dubbed programs make the
local industry improve the quality and efficiency to compete
with the dubbed programs. Further no local producer was planning
to produce a serial based on 'Mahabharata', whom the telecast
of dubbed version of the serial might have affected.
The
DG has argued that it is not clear how a serial made in late
eighties with old technology and limited budget can destroy
the local industry which has no dearth of artistic, financial
or technological resources.
The
DG has further said the argument that by allowing telecast
of dubbed serials the Bengali language film and TV industry
will be affected and may result in joblessness of local artistes
is also not valid. In the present era of information technology,
all the popular programmes are available on Internet or by
way of pirated CD/DVDs. In such a scenario it is very difficult
to assess as to how the telecast of a legally licensed dubbed
version of a serial could have affected the local industry.
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