The apex body of filmmakers has decided to end the practice of many producers who register titles and hoard them for many years, without making movies with them.

The producers’ association has decided that the title registration committee can issue a show-cause notice to filmmakers after two years of title registration. If the film does not take off for another year, the filmmaker will have to forego the title. That title can then be purchased by another producer by paying Rs8,000.

A top official at the title registration office said many producers registered around 500 titles each, but made only four to 12 movies a year. For over 29 years, filmmaker Vinod Pande kept registering and re-registering the title Chaloo Movie Inc. The movie is expected to see the light of the day next year.

Mukesh Bhatt, chairman of the producers’ guild, said the reckless registration by many had forced producers to get together. A top producer told DNA, “This has become a disease. As soon as someone gets a whiff of the working title his rival is making a movie with, he registers it along with six to seven similar titles.”

He said that others would register a title as soon as they heard that a big producer planned a film with it, and then demand a huge sum for it. Percept CEO Navin Shah said, “It is very good move for the industry. Monopoly in anything is not good, and this move will crush it.”