Desi MovieLink

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A former coworker of mine from Microsoft just launched Masala Downloads, which lets you legally download and watch Bollywood films and cricket matches. The price is $2.99 for a 3-day rental, and the downloaded files come DRM’d (locked) in Windows Media format with a 3-day expiration.

The idea is convenient for people with fast Net connections who don’t live near an Indian movie rental store. And since those stores often rent out pirated copies, this concept is potentially as legit a rental as you can get. It’s similar to MovieLink and CinemaNow, which offer downloadable Hollywood flicks, and CrimsonBay, which serves up desi music downloads.

The films are high-quality rips of DVDs they’ve purchased. The site says it enforces DVD licenses; I imagine they have a ripped version on a server, buy several DVDs and block over-limit downloads until at least one outstanding rental expires. I can’t imagine they’ve negotiated with film companies for authorization directly, but maybe they’ve spoken with distributors.

The site is pretty young — it’s got limited selection and only takes credit cards via PayPal — but the concept seems sound, and the trial movie, a 15 MB snippet of Veer-Zaara, downloaded quickly. Check it out.

10 thoughts on “Desi MovieLink”

  1. The idea is convenient for people with fast Net connections who don’t live near an Indian movie rental store.

    They should move 🙂

    Also, do you have to use “Indian”? I understand it’s literally accurate here (mostly..Bangladesh and Pakistan actually make horrible Bollywood knockoffs), but it’s a trend around here.

  3. What this MasalaDownloads is doing sounds illegal. If they have not negitiated with movie companies, then it DEFINITELY is.

    You can’t rent videos that you have purchased. You purchase them for home use only. Otherwise, people would start ripping DVDs and offering them without payment to the movie companies.

    I would advise your friend to get an attorney ASAP – he is likely to get sued soon. To know why, he simply has to view one of his rips and look at the FBI warning that precedes it.

  4. You can’t rent videos that you have purchased.

    Isn’t that what every Blockbuster and corner video store does? They’re not showing the movies in public cinemas, they’re renting them out for home use.

  5. This is blatantly illegal–how can anyone even think that just buying a personal copy gives you the right to sell commercially. I read that the President Imran Qureshi is from Microsoft–ask him how Microsft treats people who do the following: buy a copy of MS Office, make tons of copies of it, then let multiple people “rent” them, one at a time—to do that, you’d better have licensing agreements with Microsft in place (which means they will take a percentage of your revenue)–if you don’t, they’ll take your ass instead! This Qureshi guy is going to be criminally liable>

  6. …then let multiple people “rent” them, one at a time—to do that, you’d better have licensing agreements with Microsft in place…

    I believe the Office license covers this. It’s a per-processor license, so cybercafes may be covered under your exact scenario.

  7. I get I stirred up a hornets nest!

    Anyways, if he doesnt have licenses, then it is indeed ilegal. (refer to US copyright law: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wci)

    To make “copies” or to “reproduce” the DVD in digital format is copyright infringement. He is allowed to rent only the physical copies. Reproduction rights are obvious — you can’t make copies of the DVD without infringing on the reproduction rights of the copyright holder.

  8. To make “copies” or to “reproduce” the DVD in digital format is copyright infringement.

    I believe that under fair use, you’re allowed to make a backup copy. It may also be that they expect Indian film houses to look the other way, given that there’s a 1:1 correlation between a rental out at any given time and a DVD purchase.

    In any case, I’m sure the company’s thought this through far better than I have.