Cartelisation in film distribution? CCI to conduct study: Report

Exhibitors have reportedly complained to the antitrust regulator that distributors are not supplying movies (Representative Image)

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is planning to conduct a study into film distribution to examine if there are anti-competitive practices.

The study will assess if there are practices such as collaborations between producers, distributors, and exhibitors deciding upon film release dates, Business Standard has reported.

The CCI will also look at the impact of over-the-top (OTT), or streaming platforms on film distribution, the report said.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the story.

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Exhibitors have complained to the antitrust regulator that distributors are not supplying movies, Business Standard has reported. Distributors have said that producers are not releasing films to them so that they can stagger their releases.

CCI has also received a complaint that the three parties getting into an agreement to decide on release dates is monopolistic.

"We favour self-regulation but if there is cartelisation to the detriment of smaller players, we have to step in. Right now, we don't know whether there are indeed competition concerns," an official told the publication.

The antitrust regulator wants to invite industry players to share their
inputs for the market study, with the assurance that no information shared by them will be used to take action against them.