WYR producers slap Rs50 cr notice on Adlabs

Mumbai: UTV Motion Pictures has slapped legal notices of Rs50 crore each on Adlabs and UFO Moviez for allegedly abetting the piracy of What's Your Raashee? The master print of the film went missing just days before its release. UTV has also sent a letter of request to the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPAA) to ask the two companies to show cause. The copies of all three documents are with DNA.

DNA first reported -- on September 22 -- that the business development manager of Adlabs Processing, Durgadas Bhakta, had been arrested by the Mumbai police for allegedly stealing and selling a master print of the Ashutosh Gowariker-directed comedy that releases in theatres on Friday. Bhakta allegedly sold the copy for Rs2 lakh to people involved in movie piracy. The police also arrested five others.

"UTV awaits response from the companies. The future course of action will be decided after this," a source close to the production house told DNA. "Stern action needs to be taken. Such acts are shameful for the Indian film fraternity."

The letter to the IMPAA read: "The master print of our film What's Your Raashee? has been illegally copied at the premises of Adlabs and UFO Moviez and sold to persons engaged in the business of pirating films nationally and internationally... As a member of your association, we request you to take up this matter with the concerned laboratories by issuing show-cause notices to such laboratories."

When contacted, Adlabs did not comment on the issue.

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_raashee-s-producers-slap-rs50-cr-notice-on-adlabs_1292579