Motion Picture Dist. Association India will be headed by Rajiv Dalal as director – India operations. The office, located in Mumbai, will serve as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries in India.
Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. chairman and CEO Dan Glickman said, "India is one of the fastest growing media and entertainment markets in the world. With over 3 billion total admissions in 2007 and multiplex screens increasing over 400 percent from 193 in 2006 to 907 in 2011, our member studios have decided to participate towards this dynamic market by investing many millions of dollars into the Indian film and television industry. Our new office will serve to promote, protect and expand their interests in India."
In particular, the Motion Picture Dist. Association (India) will work with local Indian film industries and the Indian government to reduce market access restrictions and debilitating taxation, promote the establishment of intellectual property courts, enforce intellectual property rights through legal measures and investigations, further technological measures to protect rights holders’ content, and carry out public outreach programs to highlight to movie fans in the country why the creative art of motion pictures and television is worth protecting.
"While it is an exciting time in the Indian film industry, there are some serious obstacles to doing business here. Entertainment taxes are amongst the highest in the world, and intellectual property theft is plaguing the entire industry. Now is the time for us to build a stronger presence in India so we can work with the local industry to find solutions to these challenges so we can continue creating the film and television products consumers all over the world love," Glickman added.
Glickman cited a US India Business Council report in 2008 which showed that the Indian film industry lost $959 million and 571,896 jobs due to piracy.
Already there have been a number of co-productions, joint ventures, and local investment between Hollywood and the Indian entertainment industry. Over the past 18 months, the film industry has seen many tie ups and multi-picture deals between MPA member studios and Indian production houses.
According to the US India Business Council/Ernst & Young 2008 report on "The Effects of Counterfeiting and Piracy on India’s Entertainment Industry," the Indian film industry lost $959 million and 571,896 jobs due to piracy.
