Aseem Arrora Urges Industry Leaders To Ensure Fair Royalties For Writers

The Screenwriters Rights Association of India (SRAI) has recently received approval from the registrar of copyrights, Unnat P Pandit, to function as a copyright society under the Copyright Act, 1957. This development allows SRAI to collect royalties for dramatic works and literary works related to them.

This is promising news for writers involved in television shows, OTT platforms, and films. They can now anticipate receiving royalties for their creative contributions. The Screen Writers Association (SWA) and its members were informed about this through a social media post by the office of Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal on 30 December.

Writer-producer Aseem Arrora expressed his thoughts on this positive change. "Writers of Hindi films have been working at exploitative prices for long. There's been a gradual and slow change. And now all thanks to the efforts of Mr Anjum Rajabali, Vinod Ranganath and Zama Habib, who've spent years and out of their own pockets to fight for the entire writing fraternity, that the amendment to royalty act 2012 shall finally be realized. Writers can finally feel gratified and rewarded for their work which in turn can only encourage us to get better with our skills." He also adds,"And that will only mean stronger scripts and better films/shows for the industry."

Aseem highlighted that despite constitutional provisions ensuring unwaivable royalties for writers, these rights have been delayed for decades. He urged all parties involved to allow original creators to receive their rightful dues gracefully. This step is expected to yield healthier outcomes for the industry.

Aseem further emphasized that empowering writers through speeches alone is insufficient; they should be allowed their share of royalties. This empowerment will lead to stronger content creation in films and shows. Aseem has recently co-produced and written "The Sabarmati Report," which has received positive feedback from both critics and audiences and is preparing for award shows.

The recognition of SRAI as a copyright society marks a significant step forward in acknowledging the contributions of writers in the entertainment industry. By ensuring fair compensation through royalties, it aims to foster an environment where creativity can thrive.