Log on to watch movies legally

To beat piracy and benefit from online viewership, content providers across India embrace online platforms like YouTube, Yahoo Movieplex etc

In a bid to beat piracy and monetise their content, movie directors and producers have decided to join online video platforms instead of trying to fight them.

Players like Yash Raj Films, Rajshri Productions, Tips and many South Indian film companies have started using online platforms to upload full movies. Films like Aakrosh and Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji were released on YouTube on the same day as their DVD release. For the release of Ra.One, Google India hosted a month-long festival of Shah Rukh Khan’s films, including Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Om Shanti Om and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

“Besides getting global reach for their content, the companies are also able to monetise the content through ad revenues,” explains YouTube spokesperson for India, Gaurav Bhaskar. “It’s a win-win situation for both, as the online platform gets to use legal content and filmmakers are happy because copyrights are protected.”

Hiren Gada, managing director, Shemaroo Entertainment, who recently uploaded Pancham Unmixed, a national award-winning documentary on composer R D Burman, on YouTube, says, “We were worried about piracy, but new tools on the site help us monitor the use of our material. Monetisation was also a motivator.” His company, which also runs a DVD business, has 35 legal channels on YouTube. Gada says, “It’s still too early to expect high returns on this platform, but the future is digital and the returns will only grow over time.”

Agrees TeluguOne managing director Ravi Shankar Kantamneni, “Online video viewers generally prefer to watch movies for free rather than pay-per-view. Rampant internet piracy is also the main reason to offer movies for free through advertisement monetisation.”

While YouTube and Yahoo Movieplex offer free services, The BIGFLIX Plus application runs on an online Movie on Demand format which allows the user to stream and download a catalogue of over 600 movies for Rs 249 per month.

Guilt free pleasure
3,000 movie titles including regional language films with over 700 titles are available on YouTube legally from producers like Rajshri, Yash Raj films, Eros, Tips, Venus, Reliance Pictures, Excel, Ultra,TelguOne, MaaTV, Vega Entertainment, AP International.

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Hindi films online
Don, Padosan, Ready, Dil Se, Om Shanti Om, Rascals, Iqbal, Golmaal, Chhoti Si Baat, Dil to Bachcha Hai Ji, Aakrosh, Aarakshan, Aarya 2, Ye Maye Chesave, Kick, Noukadubi, Paromitar Ek Din etc.
Youtube movie channels
www.YouTube.com/UltraHindi
www.YouTube.com/ShemarooEnt
www.YouTube.com/teluguone

Other platforms
in.movies.yahoo.com/movieplex
www.bigflix.com/bigflixplus