Mission accomplished for Vinod Chopra -- MRTPC holds FMC guilty of action against film-maker  ( July '17,2001, HBL)

FILM-MAKER Vidhu Vinod Chopra has won the case he filed with the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) against the Film-Makers Combine (FMC).

Based on a complaint filed by Chopra, the MRTPC held FMC guilty of adoption of restrictive trade practices within the purview of the MRTP Act, 1969.

``...Since FMC has failed to give an undertaking as contemplated in Section 37(2) of the MRTP Act to desist from indulging in such trade practices in future, we direct FMC to refrain from indulging in such trade practices in future,'' the commission said in an ex parte order.

The proprietor of Vinod Chopra Productions, which has made Bollywood blockbusters such as Mission Kashmir and 1942-A Love Story, had filed a complaint against FMC, incorporated under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, engaged in promoting and protecting trade and commerce in the field of motion picture industry and other allied industries.

The complainant is a member of Western India Film Producers' Association (WIFPA), a subscriber member of FMC. As per prevailing practice in the trade, the workers affiliated to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), Mumbai, are employed by the film producers at Mumbai.

A dispute arose between FMC and FWICE in October-November, 1993, regarding the revision of workers wage. As no agreement was reached between the two, FWICE eventually decided to enforce higher wage rates. So, FMC decided to suspend all production and post-production activities which included shooting, recording and dubbing with effect from November 5, 1993. It also issued a circular to all associations connected with the film industry to this effect.

At this stage, the complainant was in the midst of shooting a feature film 1942-A Love Story and had created a set worth Rs 60 lakh in the film city for shooting the film. Further, he had obtained dates for shooting from its British cast.

He was also not in a position to extend or postpone the pre-decided schedule for shooting the film. The call for an indefinite strike by FMC at this juncture came as a bolt from the blue, the complainant had submitted.

On his request, FWICE permitted Chopra to go ahead with shooting on payment of wages at the old rates, while FMC declined to accommodate the request. FMC also issued a circular dated November 19, 1993, in which all those associated with the industry were asked to suspend the membership of Chopra.

The associations of distributors were asked not to register the film of Chopra and de-register the same if already registered. FMC also wrote to the film city and to the individual artists working in the film to stop helping the complainant with immediate effect.

However, Chopra went ahead with the shooting during the suspension period announced by FMC. As a result of this, FMC imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh and informed that all concerned in the industry including FWICE would not cooperate with the complainant in any manner whatsoever.