SIFCC urges PM, Irani to act against BJP leader for watching Mersal online

The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce today said it has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, seeking action against Bharatiya Janata Party leader H Raja for reportedly watching Tamil film Mersal online.

Referring to Raja's remarks reported in a section of media in this regard, SIFCC president L Suresh said that the BJP national secretary had 'confessed' this in a section of the media.

SIFCC is the apex body of studio owners, producers, distributors and exhibitors from all the southern states.

Raja 'confessed before a press reporter that he saw the aforesaid Tamil film on the internet, which is obviously a pirated version', Suresh said in a statement.

The BJP leader was 'liable to be prosecuted' for this under the Tamil Nadu Video Piracy Act, he said, adding SIFCC had already made a complaint to the grievances cell of the PMO.

'We have also written an official letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, requesting them to take suitable action against Mr H Raja for seriously violating the Piracy Act,' he said.

The complaint against Raja 'may be treated in a steadfast manner' by the PMO, he added.

He wondered what would happen to the cinema industry if leaders watched pirated versions of films.

On BJP's demand for deletion of mocking references to goods and services tax in Mersal, starring Vijay, he said as per 'several' court decisions, once a movie had been certified by the Censor board, a producer need not make any changes thereafter 'at the whims and fancies of any political party or community leaders'.  -- PTI