A couple of days ago I was talking to Surabhi and she said something to the effect of how come you don’t post stuff like you used to on your blog… you know stuff like how you feel about something or what you think about it? So I was like, hmm good question. Guess I haven’t been thinking much about stuff recently, or when I have I got too lazy to post about it.
So here’s some of my thoughts on Movie Piracy:
Last week I went and saw X-Men: The last stand. Yes I actually went to the theatre to watch it. The big deciding factor was that it actually released in India at about the same time it released in the US. I like watching movies and I don’t want to wait for over 1-2 months for a movie I want to watch to be released in India.
One of the examples is: Underworld: Evolution. I really wanted to watch this movie. I had been waiting for a while for the movie to come out and when it finally released I checked the local movie listings to find a theatre that was playing it… Guess what? It hadn’t been released in India yet. I waited for almost a month before giving up and watching it online. I wanted to see it in the theater but since it took almost 3 months (give or take a couple of weeks) for it to come out in India and by then I had already seen it elsewhere and thus didn’t go watch it in theater. If they had released it at the same time I would have seen it in the theater.
Another example, during X-Men they were showing the trailer for ‘The Punisher’ and I was like why are they showing the trailer for a movie that old… then at the end of the trailer a message came up that said ‘Coming soon to a theater near you…’ and thats when I realized that it hadn’t been released in India yet. What the hell… The movie is more than 6 months old. Why don’t they release it world wide at the same time? If not the same time then release it within a couple of weeks. So that people like me who actually want watch the movie will watch it in theaters instead of downloading it.
Other than the delayed launch another big issue is censorship in India. You take any movie and you will find that its been chopped up like anything and its not just the nudity vulgar scenes (Those I can understand.. somewhat) its cutting up stuff like jokes, fights anything the censor department felt like. Case in point: Bad Boy’s II. The movie is a Action/Comedy movie correct? If you ask someone in India who saw it on the big screen they will be like ‘What comedy’ the movie was an action movie. Guess what? the censors chopped out all the jokes in the movie… and the movie ended up making no sense.
Watching the X-Men I got the feeling that some of the scenes in the movie didn’t quite flow together so I think the censors might have taken a go at it also… Wont’ know for sure till I get the DVD and watch it.
So in my opinion why is movie piracy so strong in India:
1. The movies are launched in India a long time after their launch in the US. People don’t want to wait to see the movie.
2. The movies are censored so much that it doesn’t make any sense anymore.
3. The ticket prices are high (My dad suggested this reason. Not sure I agree with it).
What do you think?
Thanks,
Suramya
i think people do it cause 1- Its available ( shop keepers blatantly have it) That is the market standard in prices now 2- No repurcussions
Comment by subhi — June 20, 2006 @ 2:37 PM
3. if u stay in a place like bangalore.. where u might never get the tickets unless booked 4 days in advance,..even after paying a hefty sum(I agree with your dad a bit!!).. and you are eternally scared of being “separated” from your friends at the theatre(coz of the rush).. Then the thought of really watching it on a dvd is not that bad!!
Comment by Vini — June 22, 2006 @ 6:10 AM
Subhi,
The incentive to buy a pirated movie (Cam prints) would be less if the movie is out in the theater at the same time. I mean.. come on, wouldn’t you rather watch a movie like X-Men on the big screen than watch a crappy print of it on a computer monitor?
Sakshi,
The reason I don’t agree with dad about the ticket prices is that I have been paying ~$7-$10 (about ~ Rs. 329 – Rs. 470) per movie for the past 5 years so after that Rs. 150 seems a bit low. I know its high compared to what it used to be 5 years ago (< Rs 80 If I remember correctly) but its all a matter of perspective. - Suramya
Comment by Suramya — June 28, 2006 @ 9:47 AM
I feel people do it because they dont think they are punishable for their acts..
Not like they will be put behind bars like for stealing or commiting a murder..
Infact they dont feel that it is illegal or that it is a crime anymore because it
has become so common and open everywhere..
Comment by Jennifer — September 18, 2006 @ 7:20 AM
they r available at so cheap rates that any one will be attracted to buy them
Comment by shubhAM — August 16, 2009 @ 1:12 PM
totally agree with u………da main reason being ppl r impatient…..also if ur gettin da pirated copy at insanely low price then who wont….:-)
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