MUMBAI: The Punjab government has decided to pass a bill to prevent piracy in September. The decision was conveyed to film maker Yash Chopra, by the chief minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, post a meeting between the two.

In the meeting, Chopra apprised the CM of the grim scenario that the industry was facing because of the threat of piracy. Captain Singh took note of the points and declared his government’s resolve to take firm steps to combat the menace.

Chopra said, “At Yash Raj films, we regard piracy as a cancer that is afflicting the whole industry. The Indian film industry loses a whopping Rs.17 bn annually due to piracy. If not checked right away, it will cause the eventual destruction of this great industry that provides livelihood to thousands of people. And for a creative person there can be no greater tragedy than seeing his labour of love debased in poor quality reproductions where hardly 10 per cent of the creative thought comes across in the manner it was intended.”

Yash Chopra has been at the forefront of the anti-piracy movement in the industry for a while now. Through his efforts, and otherwise, various government and regulatory bodies, have begun to take note of the dangers of piracy and have passed regulation to combat the same.

The Tamil Nadu government passed a similar bill in 2004, and since then Yash Chopra has been in talks with the Punjab CM, and finally his efforts have borne fruit. With the Punjab government taking a similar step, the anti-piracy movement has taken a significant step forward.

Chopra adds, “I would like to thank the government of Punjab for having taken this significant step, and would request other state governments to lend their support to the anti-piracy movement. We are always on the alert to the threat of piracy, but only with support from state and national governments can we bring about the change that is so sorely required.”