Kathmandu, September 28
Films currently in theatres are being hit by copyright violations (piracy). Just two days after its release, scenes from Nikhil Upreti’s action-heavy film “Acharya” are all over social media.
Not only that, key scenes from another film currently showing, “Ba: Ek Yoddha,” have also been posted on TikTok and Reels.
Clips of 10 to 20 minutes have been found uploaded by social media users. Producers have expressed concern that audiences recording and uploading key scenes in this way will hurt business.
Producers, actors and distributors are making public appeals on social media not to do this.
Upreti, the director, producer and actor of “Acharya,” said that recording the film and posting it on social media is a betrayal of the producer’s dream. He has asked people to stop putting footage on TikTok for entertainment and to boost views.
Releasing a video message on Facebook, Nikhil said, “It is a betrayal of the dream of a producer who has invested with so much hardship. For a little entertainment and to increase their own views, 10, 15, even 20 minutes of the film’s footage is put on TikTok. What a painful incident. Let this not be done to any film, not just mine.”
Saying that Nepali films need to become strong within the country, he said, “We need to become much stronger within our own country. Let us cooperate. Please do not play with the producer’s investment and business. Let us all come together to oppose this piracy.”
Divya Dev Pant, an actor in the film “Ba: Ek Yoddha,” which is currently running in theatres, has urged people to stop recording footage and posting it on social media. While saying they are happy about the audience’s love and response, Divya Dev asked people to respect the right of viewers to watch the film in the darkness of the theatre.
He writes, “Sharing a favourite scene is natural, but it can spoil key moments for others. Behind every film are months of hard work by hundreds of people. Review it, recommend it, even criticize it, but please don’t record and post the film, whether it’s ours, Nikhil dai’s, or anyone else’s. Let others experience it first in the darkness of the theater, just as you did.”
US distributor Suresh Darpan Pokhrel has expressed concern that this kind of piracy is also damaging the overseas market. He has given suggestions, including the need to build a strong system.
This piracy problem is not new for Nepali films. Although the problem has existed for a decade, measures to prevent it have not been implemented. The Film Development Board has repeatedly issued public notices urging people not to record films inside theatres.
The board has also sent a letter with directives to the Film Association, the exhibitors’ body, in the past. However, it has not been implemented. The board’s Cinema Hall Monitoring Committee appears inactive lately. The Film Association also appears to be ignoring the issue.
