BANGALORE: Prasar Bharati has reportedly decided stop telecasting `Premachandrara Kathegalu,' a serial dubbed from Hindi to Kannada, following the Karnataka Television Association's threat to launch an indefinite agitation against Doordarshan on Friday. The association has the backing of some Kannada organisations.

The weekly serial based on Munshi Premchand's Hindi short stories is already on the air on the Chandana channel of Bangalore Doordarshan between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. on Saturdays. The serial became embroiled in a controversy, as many viewers were surprised to learn that it was only a dubbed version of a Hindi serial beamed on the national channel years ago.

Private television channels have refrained from telecasting dubbed films and serials. Bangalore Doordarshan Kendra made an attempt to telecast a dubbed version of Ramanand Sagar's `Ramayana' in 1994 but decided against it fearing a backlash. It also toyed with the idea of telecasting the dubbed version of Sanjay Khan's `Tipu Sultan' (1989).

Director of Bangalore Doordarshan Kendra Mahesh Joshi, who was in Delhi reportedly to discuss the issue, told The Hindu that as a matter of policy Prasar Bharati was in favour of understanding and responding to the tastes and aspirations of the viewers of its regional channels. The serial was being telecast on Saturdays on Chandana just as serials based on Kannada classics were being telecast on other regional channels. For instance, the serial based on the late Masti Venkatesha Iyengar's Subbanna was being telecast in Oriya and a serial directed by Girish Karnad was being shown on other regional channels. The objective of such telecasts was to promote the exchange of cultural programmes, he said.

Prasar Bharati would respond positively to the sentiments of viewers. He would hold talks with the Karnataka Television Association on Friday, Mr. Joshi said.

Sources in the association said they were not against the regional channel Chandana telecasting national or world classics. It only wanted such serials to be shown with Kannada subtitles instead of imposing dubbed versions.

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