Indian Film Industry Loses $1 billion To Piracy

Film Industry losses mount

The Indian film industry loses an estimated $1 billion in revenue annually due to pirated DVDs.

Every year 600 million DVDs are pirated in India compared with 20 million legitimate copies sold, which accounts for 50% of the entire entertainment industry's profits, according to Harish Dayani, CEO of Moser Baer India Ltd.

40% of revenue comes from DVD sales in the American film market compared with a lowly average of 8% in India, which is a major factor contributing to the decline of revenue once a film is distributed through DVD. The problem is nationwide and the film industry is seeking a way to convert pirates in to sellers with a new model to provide them with a license to sell music and DVDs.

Despite the difficulties the Indian film industry faces, piracy is a global problem that requires a global solution. Court battles have raged between major corporations, studios, labels, and subsequent lawsuits have been filed against individuals illegally selling DVDs and other products. The only problem is there are so many undertaking the practices that organizations will never have enough resources to go after even a small percentage of pirates. The internet will also move further into the spotlight as the primary outlet for entertainment, from online TV to movies and music, and it is likely that an industry wide scheme is needed to prevent widespread digital piracy as well.