| The battle between the non-Kannada film fraternity
and the Kannada Film Producers Association (KFPA) heated up further
as the Karnataka Theatre Owners Association (KCTOA) lashed out against
KFPA and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) at a press
meet conducted in Bangalore this evening.
In an official release issued during the press meet, KCTOA has
alleged that KFPA is playing a sinister role in keeping the Kannada
industry in perpetual poverty and is capitalizing endlessly out
of it by inflaming linguistic passions and that it does not in principal
wish to see the functioning of the non-Kannada film industry in
the state. KCTOA while decrying the role of KFCC in the anti non-Kannada
films campaign, described it as a practically useless organization.
KCTOA has decided to keep away from both the bodies and initiate
action to revive and build the Kannada film industry. The association
plans to approach the government stating that it will take up the
onus of reviving the Kannada Film Industry in a manner similar to
the highly successful Bangalore Action Taking Force (BATF) in which
a number of organizations in co-operation with the Bangalore Mahanagara
Pallike work for the betterment of Bangalore.
The meeting was chaired by KCTOA president, MLA HD Kumaraswamy
and KCTOA secretary Dhanajay. Talab Shetty and Palchnadani who represented
the distributors also spoke on the occasion. According to Dhanajay
the animosity between the Kannada and the non-Kannada lobby must
end for the betterment of the industry as a whole.
"We will go to the government and tell them that the entire
entertainment tax collections be given to the association and these
proceeds would be utilized for subsidizing the Kannada film industry.
The biggest problem for most Kannada films is funding. From the
approximately Rs 330 million collected by the government, let them
utilize about 10 per cent or Rs 30 million as collection and administration
charges. The balance Rs 300 million should be disbursed by us as
a subsidy within 15 days of release of the film at the rate of Rs
2 million, instead of the endless wait for the Rs 1 million released
at present by the government, " said Dhanajay.
"We will ensure that there are not less than 150 Kannada films
released in the next one year. With a subsidy of Rs 2 million we
are sure that the Kannada film industry will top the release chart.
Also, we have determined a scheme by which any person who purchases
a non-Kannada movie ticket in the state will feel that a part of
the price he is paying will finance the production of a Kannada
film. A continued reinforcement of this feeling will certainly play
a large part in reducing the animosity towards non-Kannada films
and spare the government from all external pressures and embarrassments
in the future," he added.
"The unofficial ban on non-Kannada films has entered the fourth
week. During these four weeks, six Kannada films have been released
and all have flopped miserably. Why don't they try to come up with
good quality low cost films?" said Pal Chandani. "No distributor
has voluntarily supported the ban by the KFPA. Today pirated CDs
and DVDs are available almost immediately, and within a short span
of time their premieres are aired on TV channels. How can we agree
to this seven-week delay? Also the failure rate of films of any
language is approximately 85 per cent. How can the Kannada film
industry blame non-Kannada films for their shortcomings?" he
said.
Also read:
Moratorium
on non-Kannada films: 21 theatres announce closure
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