The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘Krishna’: State Government to order inquiry into lapses

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Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

‘Krishna’: State Government to order inquiry into lapses

K.N. Venkatasubba Rao

The film has now been made ineligible for 100 p.c. tax concession

A delegation of Kannada film industry meets Vittalamurthy
A large section of the industry is not in favour of any sops for remake films

Bangalore: The Government has promised a delegation of the Kannada film industry that it will order an inquiry into the lapses in including the selection and rejection of “Krishna,” said to be a remake of a Telugu film, for extending tax concession, by the officials concerned.

The assurance came after the delegation held talks with Secretary, Information, I. M. Vittalamurthy here on Monday.

According to sources in the cinema industry, they were forced to meet the senior bureaucrat as they got a “cold response” from the Governor’s office for their request to meet Rameshwar Thakur.

Mr. Vittalamurthy told The Hindu that the Government was not happy with the alleged attitude of officials applying contradictory yardsticks on selecting and rejecting a film at the cost of Government’s policy and public money. However, it would order a departmental inquiry to ascertain the facts, he said.

On the demand to extend 100 per cent tax concession for remake films, he said there was no question of doing that as it would violate a long-standing policy.

However, it would consider suggestions on the issue if the cinema industry could “clarify and define” remake films, its purpose and how it contributed to the development of Kannada cinema.

On the other long-pending demands, Mr. Vittalamurthy said he told the delegation that the Government would look into the issues if the industry submitted a memorandum.

Some persons in the delegation said that the industry had decided to stop all activities from February 14 if the Government failed to respond to its pleas.

A large section of the industry is said be not in favour of any sops for remake films. But all sections are united in opposing the State Government’s “surprising” decision to make the film “Krishna” ineligible for 100 per cent tax concession after over three months of its release and asking exhibitors to “remit” the taxes.

‘Faux pas’

They are of the view that “the Department of Information committed a faux pas by including the film under the eligibility list despite knowing that it was a remake. It is now demanding the theatre owners to pay from their pockets to cover up its blunder.” Many argue that “producers are drawn to remake films on their own only after they are ensured of lucrative returns. The Government should ignore the remake lobby.”

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