MUMBAI: Salman Khan has taken the TV route to tackle the menace of piracy before his next film Wanted is scheduled to release.
The actor will be seen on Sony’s 11 year old show CID alongside the show’s protagonist ACP Pradyuman. In this week’s episode, the duo will be shown investigating a piracy racket and help capture illegal copies of his movie Wanted, which is directed by Prabhudeva.
In a seamless integration of sorts, the episode will show how the pirated DVDs of Wanted have hit the market even before the theatrical release of the movie. The CID team along with Salman (who plays himself in the show) nab the pirates thus spreading awareness about the fact that piracy is illegal. Needless to say the team manages to nab the culprits on the show.
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. The fact remains that every new movie that releases finds its way into the pirated market and on the internet for free viewing. However, this is likely to change with multiplexes getting aggressive on curbing piracy. Indian multiplex chains recently joined hands with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to put a stop to camcording in theaters as more than 90 per cent of the newly released movies that end up appearing illegally on the streets and on Internet sites originate from illegal copies made in cinemas. Coupled with this, if concerted efforts from the actor fraternity towards curbing piracy are also planned, it can certainly help bridle the menace to a large extent.
