The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Film-makers to hit back at Karnataka

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Thursday, Sep 23, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Film-makers to hit back at Karnataka

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 22. Filmmakers from all over the country have come together and declared a `war of non-cooperation,'' fed up with Karnataka's six week-old ban on simultaneous release of non-Kannada films in the State.

Members of the newly-formed `Joint Action Committee of Indian Film Industry' met here on Wednesday and decided to fight `non-cooperation with non-cooperation,'' with G. Adiseshagiri Rao of Padmalaya Studios as Convenor.

`Ban unfortunate'

Terming the ban unfortunate, Bollywood movie moghul, Yash Chopra said: ``It is against the very spirit of India. It is the choice of the people to see whichever movie they wish to and they cannot rob them of it."

Pehlaj Nihalini asked, `Why the discrimination ?' He charged the officialdom in Karnataka with being partial. He alleged that the Kannada film industry was supporting piracy and striking a blow to other language films. Just because a particular Kannada film did not do well, they could not hold other language films to ransom, he added.

A warning

The convenor of the JAC, Mr. Adiseshagiri Rao said until the Kannada industry came forward for talks, all the other film industries would place an embargo on the Kannada film industry. `Be it an artist or technician or just about anybody involved with the industry, we are making efforts to make them stop working for a Kannada film. No dubbing of a Kannada film will take place henceforth,'' he said.

It may be recalled that resentment against simultaneous release of non-Kannada films had been simmering for quite some time. The issue peaked and led to the `unofficial ban' soon after the release of the Venkatesh-starrer `Gharshana,' coinciding with the release of a Kannada film with matinee idol Rajkumar's son, Raghavendra Rajkumar as the lead star.

Producer D. Suresh said all their efforts were only to make Karnataka come to the negotiating table. `Once they allow simultaneous release of non-Kannada films and come for negotiations, the other logistics like number of prints can be discussed,'' he said.

The South Indian film industry was represented by L. Suresh, Devi Vara Prasad, D. Suresh, Allu Arvind, Tammareddy Bharadwaja, D.V.S. Raju, K.S. Rama Rao, K.L. Narayana and Prabhakar.

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