Composers
sound out industry for rights
By
Riya V Anandwala
Radioandmusic.com
(Posted on 6 May 2008 4:00 pm)
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
worked on a relatively humble budgeted Johny Gaddar after scheming music for a
slate of big banner films. However, the deal was in their favour as the Neil
Nitin
Mukesh starrer film fetched the trio a plum 50 per cent share of the music
rights.
The composer trio will now revel in the royalties, profits and other
opportunities of monetizing the property. The rules of the music game have
begun to modify and this has encouraged 100 odd similarly creative minds in the
industry to demand their rights. The rules within the industry are changing, if
slowly.
No longer are the creative talents - lyricists and composers included -
willing to let go after allegations of mistreatment by film producers and
music labels.
The
size of the music industry in India is estimated at over Rs one billion.In
1997,
the business that had climbed to a whopping Rs 1.2 billiion, slid back over the
last few years, and the profits that accrued after piracy was accounted for,
have
been bypassing the creative talent that makes the music possible, allege
composers.
"I
am getting a share of publishing for 90 per cent of the project" - A R
RahmanAre
music labels and producers really to be blamed? Music directors choose to
demand
their rights depending on the banner they are signing. Big monies make way for
recognition when composers agree to score tracks for big banners like Yash Raj
and Dharma Productions. Salim and Sulaiman Merchant who shot to fame with Chak
De India's music are working on a number of projects which include Madhur
Bhandarkar's
Fashion and Yashraj's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and animation film Roadside Romeo.
"We
are not getting any share for these two projects. When it comes to YRF, working
with them is a big thing, so we are not looking at anything beyond that,"
confirms the duo.
The
physical sales of music may be on the downswing, but digital sales (read
ringtones
and caller ringback tones) are more than making up.
"Nearly
four to five crore rupees are earned through the download of one song's
ringtones.
The whole amount goes to the music label, I as a musician get nothing except
the
money paid to me at the time of composition," says Lalit Sen, who composes
songs for Falguni Pathak and a few other pop artistes. He also points out that
internationally, pop stars mint money when their created music is played at
concerts,
shows, ringtones and much more.
The
right to fight!
This issue has been hogging the limelight since top-notch musician A R
Rahman turned down Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om after he was denied a share in
the music rights. Duo Vishal-Shekhar bagged the plum project soon after.
Says Rahman, "I am getting a share of publishing for 90 per cent of the
projects." However, he refuses to divulge the percentage share of the
individual films. His forthcoming projects are London Dreams, Lajjo,
Satyagrahi, Rockstar, Dilli 6, Ghajini and Yuvraaj.
"I
am sure this contract arrangement will bring about a lot of changes in the
music
industry" - Shekhar RavijaniMusic
duo Salim-Sulaiman too have wisened up. They recently tied up with Percept
Picture
Company (PPC) for a share of music royalties. They will be getting a fair share
of the music rights for their films with the company, which include Aashayein
and Bemisaal.
Shekhar Ravijani of the Vishal-Shekhar duo echoes Salim's viewpoint.
According to Ravijani, it is the music composers who should have the
ownership of the music since they create it. Also, he adds, they are in a
better position to monetize the music property. "If I was international, I
would have been rolling in money. However, the situation in India is changing
now."
Vishal
Shekhar will be getting a handsome share of music royalties for their upcoming
projects. He stresses on the fact that big banners pay in a way that there is
no need to trot for music royalties. He warns music labels in a subtle way. "It
is better that they (music companies) start transforming their system. I am
sure
this contract arrangement will bring about a lot of changes in the music
industry,"
sums up Shekhar.
Mixed
reactions!
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
signed Johny Gadaar for a royalty share of 50 percentIt
is certainly a hard hit on the music labels who have been basking in the moolah
that has been coming in. T Series, one of the topmost music labels which has
the
maximum number of current Hindi film music rights, doesn't agree with the idea
of granting music rights shares to the creators. "Music companies are built
for a reason and it's our job to take care of the music rights. The whole
marketing
and distribution of music is done in a systematic process which is indeed
important.
We know the legalities very well, how will the composers monetize the property
in the due course of time?" questions Vinod Bhanushali, President, Marketing,
Media and Publishing, T Series.
While
T Series is firm on its decision, new player in the scenario, Reliance
Entertainment's
Big Music has a thought about initiative in place. The music company will now
partner with the music composers and let them earn their share of profit. This
is a commercial deal with every composer and film producer they work with. The
label has already partnered with trio Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy for Johny Gaddar
wherein
the music creators got 50 per cent share of the royalties. "What they want
is the mechanical share of the rights. They deserve it and there are no
arguments
about it. I guess we are the only company following a pattern like this, but
very
soon every music label and producer will give in because there will be no other
option," says Big Music CEO Kulmeet Makkar. Big Music has also sealed a deal
with A R Rahman for forthcoming film Ada.
Out
of the closet!
Very
recently, the music of Rakesh Roshan's Krazzy 4 was in the news for all the
wrong
reasons. Music composer Ram Sampath filed a lawsuit against the Roshans for
using
his tunes for their songs and earned his dues, albeit the hard, legal way.
It's
no longer a composer and producer affair. The matter has reportedly reached the
government, with the creative community asking for changes to be made in the
music
copyright system. Sources say lyricist Javed Akhtar, along with a few other
musicians
met Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh recently to discuss the
issue
recently. The matter is now being looked into. Akhtar says, "There's too
much happening right now, I am not clear about the situation myself."
