Indian Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj has announced the formation of a six-member committee to regulate the showing of films on cable networks. She also committed to preventing the screening of pirated versions of films on Indian cable TV networks.

The new committee comprises Indian filmmakers: Yash Chopra, Yash Johar and Amit Khanna and three members from the cable industry: Ram Hingorani (Hinduja group), Dr AK Rastogi (President of All India Avishkar Dish Antennae Sangh) and Rupa Sharma (Cable Operators Federation of India)

Ms. Anjali Duggal Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has been appointed as the moderator. "Piracy on cable of new releases is the biggest threat facing the survival of the Indian cinema industry", Yash Chopra told Screen International.

The decision to form the committee was taken after the minister met film and cable operator representatives on September 28.

Issues raised at the meeting included: sale of cable rights, conditional access to certain films, and the creation of a web site for filmmakers to provide information about cable. It was also decided that clear message should be communicated to the perpetrators of video piracy that they would be sternly dealt with.