Is Bollywood itself to blame for the piracy menace?

Piracy could be a self-created problem for Bollywood. It has come to light that some production houses sneak off their films to Dubai before being granted censor certificates by the Central Board Of Film Certification (CBFC).

Says a reliable source, “It’s common practice. Overseas prints are sent off to Dubai without the CBFC certification ahead of the scheduled releases. Fake or duplicate Censor certificates are inserted into the films and sent to Dubai where they lie around unattended or unguarded for days. It is here that piracy happens. Bollywood films are  taken from Dubai to Pakistan, the hub of piracy.”

According to the source, producers need to stop sending their films out of India without legitimate censor certificates.

“The digital content for films in Dubai is handled by all sorts of personnel and staffers associated with the producers. Anyone could make a copy (or several copies) and send it off to Pakistan from where the films are sent to torrent sites, days before their release. The problem is not restricted to Great Grand Masti. It is an epidemic,” says the source, adding that Hollywood films in India are impossible to leak or pirate.

 “The KDM (an acronym for Key Delivery Message, which is a special electronic key that contains a code which “unlocks” an encrypted film)  on the digital film format are available in a Hollywood film, only to the theatre projectionist. The KDM for Bollywood films is passed on to various people. Anyone can make a copy of the film at any point before the film reaches the screen,” says the source.