The popular Bollywood music, which is the food of love in Indian subcontinent has been going through tough times. For the past few years, copyright compliance has been debated hotly in Indian music industry. As the digital revolution begins to alter the landscape of music consumption, the enforcement of copyright laws has become a daunting task. Digital platforms have increased the music accessibility as well as the information that concerns the right of artists and creators.
Talking to HT on the eve of World Music Day (21st June, 2024), Javed Akhtar, the popular screen playwright and lyricist, remembers the day: “A music company humiliated me for talking about the royalty of writing songs for Bollywood films. I took the matter seriously and spent some time doing research around the world. I prepared a file, and since I was an MP, I got it cleared from policy hurdles. And, this is how it became a reality.
He goes on further, mentioning the name of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and how she has always been in agreement with us on this issue. In 1991, she heard a minster say that all the singers were vocal artists. It hurt her deeply, and she played her part to fight for the royalties of singers and lyricists.
However, digital platforms have transformed the music industry entirely in terms of production, distribution, and consumption. The widespread accessibility of music makes the prevalent copyright violation more porous. Unauthorized copying, distribution, and streaming of music are posing serious challenges to the music industry.
Despite the strong legal framework of copyright protection, Indian enforcement management struggles to implement it tightly. The volume of content on the internet, coupled with a lack of accountability and responsibility, makes it a complex task to control. Although, amendments in 2012 extended the arms and legs of singers and lyricists to the legal framework of India, there is a huge gap between tracking and penalizing copyright infringers.
However, expressing happiness over the copyright safeguard, Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam, the music genius of the 90s, says, “It appears very nice that all the negativities of the music industry have settled down. We are back into our busy days.”
To counter the challenges, many initiatives have been taken by industry stakeholders and the government. The Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) and the Indian Singers and Musicians Rights Association (ISAMRA) are two strong bodies working together to make singers and artists aware of their rights. And the technology is adopted to make it simple and efficient. Blockchain technology is being explored for its potential to provide a transparent and immutable record of ownership and usage rights. Similarly, artificial intelligence and machine learning are being leveraged to detect and prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted materials.
In India's music industry, copyright compliance is a complex problem that calls for coordinated efforts from all parties involved. India can set the path for a more just and prosperous future for its artists and creators by embracing technology breakthroughs, improving regulatory frameworks, and raising awareness.