From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: As part of its special drive to curb piracy of Khasi films, the producer cum actor of Khasi movie Nga la Shem and the anti-piracy organization Phrang Jing Shai on Tuesday apprehended one Khrawkupar Syiem owner of a CD library at Nongstoin.
It has been revealed that there is an ongoing racket involving Khasi movies in which the movie CDs are copied on computers and sold illegally for Rs 100.
After receiving information about the illegal trade, the anti piracy organisation of Nongstoin led by its president Gerald Iawphniaw and the actor cum producer Tanbor raided the KNG CD Library at Nongstoin and unearthed pirated copies of many Khasi movies which were being sold at cheap rates.
Khrawkupar later confessed to his involvement in the illegal business. He confessed that whenever a Khasi movie was released he used to copy the movie onto his PC and made pirated copies which he sold for Rs 100.
During the raid, pirated CDs of as many as 40 Khasi movies were recovered from the CD library including some famous movies like U Manik Raitong and Khyndai Shiteng.
Tanbor later told news persons in Nongstoin that only because of the piracy racket in Nongstoin it was very difficult for the producers and distributors of Khasi movies to sell even 50 CDs of the movie.
“Actors, directors, producers and technicians work so hard in making a movie, so we would like to tell the audience out there to please go to the cinema and watch our movies and not to buy pirated CDs,” Tanbor said.
The CD library owner was let off with a stern warning after he promised to pay a penalty of Rs 3 lakh within 15 months.
The anti piracy organization has also warned all the video libraries in Nongstoin not to sell pirated CDs.