The Hindu : Karnataka News : Cinema screens Hindi film amid protest threat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 16, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Cinema screens Hindi film amid protest threat

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, NOV. 15. Armed with legal sanction and police protection, some exhibitors in Bangalore succeeded in screening Yash Chopra's Hindi film, Veer Zaara, on Monday and gave a "sensitive" twist to the already complicated film row.

The movie was slated for release on Monday at Cauvery, Vaibhav and Swagath cinemas amid demonstration threats from the Kannada Film Producers' Association and Kannada organisations.

The owners of these cinemas "openly challenged" them and decided to release the film and reportedly sought police protection. However, on Monday morning, the owners of these cinemas reportedly assured the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce and other exhibitors that they would not release the Hindi film as it might lead to untoward incidents. But Cauvery cinema sprang a surprise by screening Veer Zaara at its 4.30 show.

Confirming the screening of the film at Cauvery cinema, the president of the Kannada Film Producers Association, Basanthkumar Patil, told The Hindu that the issue would be discussed at the industry meeting convened for Tuesday.

`Double fault'

The exhibitors committed "double fault" by releasing the film Veer Zaara. "First, it is in violation of the accord on the mutually-accepted code of three-week delay to be observed in accommodating non-Kannada films' commercial screening. Exhibitors are also a party to the accord reached on October 20, in the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramiah. On the other hand, the film in question is not released through proper channel. In accordance with the norms of the KFCC, no non-registered distributor has any trade right to release the film and even exhibitors are bound to follow this norm in the interest of trade and its ethics," Mr. Patil said.

The president of the KFCC, H.D. Gangaraj, reportedly met the owner of the Cauvery cinema on learning that "something was brewing." He reportedly urged the cinema owner to defer the release of the film as "screening of the film at this juncture might create problems." He was assured that the film would not be screened. But the film was released even as Mr. Gangaraj was driving back to his office, according to sources in the cinema industry.

However, some producers, exhibitors and distributors were not ready to take this version.

Activists held

The police on Monday arrested 30 Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists who tried to enter the Cauvery cinema to protest against the release of the new Hindi movie, Veer Zaara, starring Shahrukh Khan.

The police said the vedike activists were arrested when they were trying to enter the auditorium after buying tickets. The activists raised pro-Kannada slogans. The High Grounds police have registered a case.

The cinema did not screen Veer Zaara and continued to screen an old Hindi movie, the police said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka