| MUMBAI:
This is a time when foreign entertainment firms are looking at ways to get a foothold
into India. American film producer Ashok Amritraj is no exception. Hyde Park
Entertainment chairman Amritraj spoke at the convention for the business of entertainment
Frames this morning. The event attracted 1500 delegates from 17 countries.
He says that his firm
is looking to form a joint venture (JV) with an Indian animation company.“I
am also looking to make an Indian film in December. The problem though is that
Indian films are not marketed properly abroad. One has drive for an hour in the
US to reach a theatre showing an Indian film.
“The other issue
is that we need stricter anti-piracy laws in India. In Chennai, it is a non bailable
offence. The same should apply for the rest of the country. There should also
be better copyright enforcement. It should not be that Indian films keep being
inspired by a successful Hollywood product. I found it interesting to see a non-white
Ang Lee win the Oscar for best director. Filmmakers are facing the threat not
just from television channels, but also form new forms of entertainment like the
iPod. Therefore it is important that we make better films and at more cost effective
prices.” Ficci president Saroj Kumar Poddar noted that Frames had evolved
over the years and has added new dimensions. “It has gone from fundamental
policy changes with broad brush approaches in entertainment to a deeper exploration
of emerging facets in this industry. It is a matter of satisfaction for us at
Ficci that having started from films, music and broadcast, we have moved into
animation, gaming, visual effects, digital entertainment and this year into media.
The challenge is in anticipating the technological revolution that lies ahead
of us. “In the realm of emerging technologies, it is the digital technology
whether in radio, television, gaming or films that will drastically alter the
face of the industry. Nine of the top 10 box office grossing films worldwide are
richly endowed with special effects. Digital technology while opening up new vistas
of revenue will also challenge piracy. It will also usher in a great demand for
IT professionals in India. With our vast pool of software engineers and creative
storytellers, India is poised to leapfrog from a mere outsourcing destination
to the holders of new intellectual property. "Ficci is humbly facilitating
this process through instruments like Ficci Animation and Gaming Forum and Ficci
Visual Effects Community. The Indian entertainment industry is witnessing phenomenal
growth and is slated to grow at 19 per cent per annum to Rs 83,740 crores in 2010
from its current size of Rs 35,300 crores. The key driver will be technology,”
said Poddar. | 
