(Image obtained from here)
Film and Television Producers Guild of India president Ramesh Sippy, and vice-president Mukesh Bhatt were invited to Delhi to meet Kapil Sibal (Human Resource Development Minister), Ambika Soni (Information and Broadcasting Minister) and Ahmed Patel, Political Advisor to the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, read here.
Soon after that meeting, the producers have decided to defer the strike for a while as they have been promised that the issue will be solved amicably.
Mukesh Bhatt said, ‘the industry has been facing various issues like the copyright issue among others, which have brought the industry to a paralytic stage. However, we had important meetings with senior Congress leaders like (Information and Broadcasting Minister) Ambika Soni and (Human Resource Development Minister) Kapil Sibal and got a very positive response,’
‘We have been instructed to engage with the authors and composers and look for a reasonable outcome, which is practical, without jeopardising our business. The government has assured us that both the sides will be heard fairly, and only then will the law be implemented. Therefore, we have decided to postpone the bandh (strike)’, he added.
According to Filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, ‘Now we feel the government is open to taking in account our point of view, and we are very happy that they are seeking justice for both sides, and not just pass a one sided law. We are hopeful resolving this issue,’ read here.
Previously, Film Federation of India (FFI), stated to ban lyricist Javed Akhtar. According to FFI Vice President Ravi Kottarakara “We have taken a decision at Film Federation of India that we will not work with him (Javed Akhtar), since he is being a part of the film industry – he is a lyricist, a great writer and a great man – he should understand our problems. In fact without understanding our problems, he has gone for the Copyright Amendment Bill, which is against the interest of the producers” available here.
After this, Akhtar posted on his Twitter page : “They can ban an individual but not an idea whose time has come.”
However after the Delhi Meeting, now President of Film Federation of India T.P. Agarwal is of the opinion that, they never asked anyone to ban the lyricist.
‘We have never banned Javed Saab, we had simply advised producers to not sign him till this matter is not resolved. But he is one of us, and has always been, so we will of course discuss the situation with him,’ he said.
Filmmaker Ramesh Sippy also said, they don’t have anything against lyricist Javed Akhtar, who is fighting for changes in the law from the lyricists and composers, here.
