Human rights is always a volatile subject which can have two sides to it. In Tollywood, a new uprising is brewing and this is among the lyricists and music directors against the audio companies. Apparently, the audio companies are gaining revenues from Ringtones, caller tunes, CDs.
There is also the IPRS (Indian Performing Rights Society) wherein whenever songs are used in stage performances, TV and radio channels, an amount has to be paid. These payments will to go IPRS from whom 50% goes to audio company, 25% goes to music director and 25% goes to lyricists. In this, ringtones callertunes revenue is not coming to lyricists and music directors, only IPRS revenue is coming.
This has become the bone of contention. Already, the iconic lyricist Javed Akhtar got a bill passed about performing rights. As part of that, few lyricists met recently to get this rule applied in Tollywood. It is heard that only registered members of Telugu Film Industry Writers Association were present in it.
Usually, audio company will take agreement from lyricists and music directors confirming they are not obliged for any further payments. The new demand coming from lyricists and music directors is they won’t sign the agreement. And audio companies are saying if music directors plus lyricists don’t sign they won’t buy the audio rights. As a result, the producers are getting stuck and they are pleading lyricists and music directors to sign because they won’t get money. Truth is, there is no revenue coming from ringtone these days and even caller tunes revenue has also reduced because people have reduced changing them. Let us wait to see where this fight will lead to.
