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

The new agreement establishes composers and lyricists as equal co-authors in song creation and designates them as primary artists. This arrangement requires separate contracts with producers, allowing independent negotiation rights for all parties involved.

The reform addresses long-standing issues in Bollywood, where writers and composers often face credit omission and delayed payments. Writer-lyricist Varun Grover highlights this problem, noting how even renowned artists like Gulzar and Javed Akhtar sometimes go uncredited on popular platforms.

MCAI president Vishal Bhardwaj emphasizes that this agreement represents more than just credit attribution—it ensures respect and independence for all creative contributors in the industry. The initiative aims to foster a collaborative environment where artistic contributions receive proper recognition and protection.

The SWA, representing over 57,000 fellow members across multiple Indian languages, serves as a trade union for writers in films, TV, and digital platforms. Their membership spans various regional industries, including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and several other languages, with 8,000 regular members.

This reform marks a significant step toward establishing a more equitable creative industry in India, though industry leaders like Sujoy Ghosh note that building a comprehensive infrastructure for creators' rights remains an ongoing process.

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