CCI closes complaint in 'Fast and Furious 7' movie matter

Fair trade watchdog CCI has rejected K Sera Sera Digital Cinema's complaint against NBC Universal Media Distribution Services and two others with regard to release format of the movie 'Fast and Furious 7'.
Besides NBC Universal, the allegations of unfair business practices was made against UFO Movies India and Real Image Media Technologies.
K Sera Sera is a digital cinema service provider. It had submitted that earlier movies of Universal Studios were released only on D (digital) platform but in the recent past it had decided to release its movie 'Fast and Furious 7' on E (non-digital) platform.
The movie was due for worldwide release on April 2, 2015.

NBC Universal is a subsidiary distribution company of Universal Studios, the producer of 'Fast and Furious 7'.
According to the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the grievance of K Sera Sera primarily pertains to alleged cartelisation and abuse of dominant position for not allowing theatres to install the server and projector of its choice.

The Commission said that no material has been placed before it to infer an anti-competitive agreement is there among the opposite parties.
"Considering the totality of the facts and circumstances, the Commission is of the view that no prima facie infringement of the provisions of section 3 of the Act is made out against the opposite parties," said the order dated June 4.

Digital cinema projection systems are broadly classified into two categories. E-cinema (Non-digital cinema initiatives (DCI) compliant) and D Cinema (DCI compliant) technology.
K Sera Sera had alleged that its system as well as majority of UFO Movies and Real Image Media are "non-DCI compliant", NBC Universal had provided rights only to the other two entities to digitally release the said movie.