The allure of other Asian destinations has long been stealing Goa’s thunder as the ideal tropical holiday spot for people searching for sun and the sea. This has prompted the government to pull out all stops to promote the state under a myriad other heads: Wellness tourism, medical tourism, hinterland tourism...the list can go on. But what probably rakes a substantial chunk of the moolah for India’s sunshine state is wedding tourism.
From influential business people to established celebrities, there is no one who isn’t drawn to Goa’s charm as the ideal wedding destination thanks to its natural splendor, liberal local pollution, a plethora of gastronomic options and an excellent selection of musicians and bands whose repertoire of songs could very well be second to none. That reception venues and music performers are often fully booked during the wedding season is testament enough to Goa’s reputation as the perfect destination to not only say, “I do”, but to do it in style.
However, the central government’s recent suspension of its earlier order that had exempted wedding celebrations from requiring music licenses is likely to cause the burgeoning sector to go off-key. In a notification issued just last week, it has placed an earlier exemption (announced on July 24 last year) on hold.
In fact, a few months ago, in August, the High Court of Bombay at Goa had itself observed that copyright exemptions under the Indian Copyright Act apply only to genuine religious ceremonies. It had ruled out social functions related to weddings. This essentially means that if one seeks to play songs from major record labels or have them performed live by a band, a license must compulsorily be acquired. Unfortunately, these permissions do not come cheap, and, coupled with a host of other licenses that are mandatory for hosting a social event such as a wedding, hapless couples may have to part with lakhs or rupees as fees.
For instance, Novex Communications - a public performance rights, copyrights and anti-piracy brand that issues permissions to play music produced by labels that have partnered with it – presently charges Rs 46,500 towards music license fees for just 50 attendees, Rs 1 lakh if 201-400 people attend, and Rs 1,40,000 if 601-800 guests are in attendance. The amount could change according to the region and special times of the year (Christmas, New Year etc), and is exclusive of 18% GST.
Purchasing a license gives one access to play and perform from an umbrella of musical genres, including pop, rock, hip-hop, country, dance and Bollywood by thousands of artists from across the globe. But with the exorbitant license fees involved, most people will find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The shock is yet to permeate the masses and when it does, chaos will most certainly be the order of the day as both peak tourism season and the wedding season are just around the corner. Soon enough, Goa will be dealing with distraught couples on one hand, who will have to grapple with a huge, unforeseen expense, and apprehensive musicians on the other, who may refuse to perform for the fear of legal action or confiscation of their equipment. The biggest loser will ultimately be the State as both wedding baraats and local bands will make a beeline out of the State and towards the other Asian destinations that the local government has been so desperately trying to compete with.
To prevent further confusion, it would be wise for the State government to adequately publicise recent developments pertaining to music permissions being made mandatory for wedding celebrations so that people can make informed decisions. It should also specify the extent of punitive action that could be taken in case the rules are not complied with. The aim should be to inform, not intimidate, lest this new development poses a fresh hurdle to the state’s struggling economy.