The Indian film industry has established a groundbreaking partnership between the Music Composers Association of India (MCAI) and the Screenwriters Association (SWA) to ensure fair credits for creative professionals.

Key changes under the new agreement:

• Composers and lyricists will be recognized as 'equal co-authors' in song creation
• Creative professionals will be designated as 'primary artists' for credit purposes
• Independent contract negotiations with producers will be required
• Separate contracts for composers and writers will be mandatory

Current industry challenges include delayed payments and missing credits. Writer Varun Grover highlights this issue, noting that even renowned lyricists like Gulzar and Javed Akhtar often go uncredited on popular music platforms.

Vishal Bhardwaj, MCAI president and filmmaker-composer, emphasizes that this agreement ensures fair credit, respect, and independence for all creative contributors. The initiative represents a significant step toward protecting artistic rights and fostering collaboration.

The SWA's reach extends across multiple Indian languages, including:

• Hindi
• Marathi
• Gujarati
• Punjabi
• Bengali
• Kannada
• Other regional languages

The organization currently serves 8,000 regular members, with an estimated total of 57,000 fellow members nationwide. This comprehensive agreement marks a pivotal moment in ensuring fair treatment and recognition for India's creative professionals in the film industry.

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