MACTA calls for legislation to curb film piracy

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 9 (UNI) The Malayalam Cine Technicians' Association (MACTA) today called for bringing in a legislation to curb the menace of film piracy, which has dealt a heavy blow to the film industry.

A legislation, as in existence in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu, was needed in Kerala to save the film industry, MACTA office bearers said addressing a pres conference on the sidelines of the eleventh International Film Festival of Kerala here.

They also said that the piracy could be dealt strongly if the state police force were more actively involved in it. ''The raids on the high-tech audio-video studio owned by the wife of IPS officer Tomin J Thachankary in Kochi only shows that the people who are at the helm to uphold law are doing these type of things,'' they said.

Noting that public awareness against pirated films was needed, they said the people should be made aware of the crime they were indulged in while going for pirated films.

Filmmakers K G George, Kamal, Siby Malayil and Maniyan Pillai Raju were present.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in a press release called for stringent measures for curbing video piracy. He also denied allegations that the AKG centre, state headquarters of the CPI (M), had tried to block the raids on the high-tec audio-video studio owned by the wife of an IPS officer.

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