PM assures film producers he would protect the industry

New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday promised a film industry delegation that called on him that he would protect the industry against piracy, and that he wanted 'Indian cinema to flourish'.

'Piracy is like the kiss of death for us. The prime minister should arrest piracy through stringent anti-piracy laws. He said he was very clear that he would do everything to protect it (the film industry),' said director-producer Mahesh Bhatt, who headed the delegation.

'I asked him what his message to the film industry was. The prime minister's exact words were, and I quote, 'Think big. I want Indian cinema to flourish',' Bhatt told IANS, adding: 'We came back very happy.'

Producer Amit Khanna, who was member of the delegation, said Manmohan Singh also promised to look into the recommendations of the Information, Communications and Entertainment Committee he had set up in 2006 when he headed the previous government.

'The prime minister was surprised that nothing was done following the recommendations,' Khanna, a member of that committee, said. 'He promised to look into it.'

The committee had made several proposals, including ways Indian cinema could be spread globally, he added.

Producers Mukesh Bhatt and Manmohan Shetty were the two other members of the delegation that later met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.