CHENNAI: Using the copyright acquired for a feature film, no one can reproduce it in the form of CDs/DVDs evading the particulars to be included as per Section 52 A of the Cinematograph Act, the Video Piracy Cell has said in a counter affidavit before Madras HC, last week.
The counter was filed in response to a petition from Movie Land, which, claiming copyright over thousands of films, prayed for a direction to the DGP and the CoP from interfering with its business of manufacturing and selling of CDs and DVDs.
The counter, filed by Additional Government Pleader P Sanjay Gandhi, said the company claims that it had acquired copyright over the said films. It could exhibit the films only in theatres, that too after paying entertainment and other taxes. It could not reproduce them in CDs and DVDs. Petitioner has not produced the copyright order permitting him to produce CDs/DVDs.
Being a signatory to WTO, India is bound to oblige Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights Agreements and has a duty to contain piracy, it maintained.
In his petition, company proprietor KP Ravichandran sought a direction to the CoP and SP, Video Piracy Cell, from harassing him, his dealers and distributors in carrying on production and sale of VCDs/DVDs with copyrights without conducting enquiry and without valid or reasonable grounds.