Telugu film chamber plea: Avoid curfew till midnight to hold four film shows a day

Vijayawada: The Telugu film chamber of commerce has urged the state government to avoid curfew till midnight, instead of imposing it at 11pm, to help them screen the fourth show late at night.

The state government issued GO-20 on Tuesday imposing night curfew from 11pm to 5am from Jan.18 to 31 and certain other restrictions to curb the Covid19 spread.

At a meeting held with film chambers here on Wednesday, the  exhibitors discussed the impact of night curfew on the screening of the fourth show. This show has to be cancelled if they have to close the theatre by 11pm. The screening of only three shows a a day would seriously affect their revenue, the exhibitors said.

In such a situation, film distributors may not come up with their the films, fearing financial implications; and so will be the film producers who fear trouble after release of their films in such situations. Even film production will thus be affected, it is pointed out.

Telugu film chamber of commerce secretary for AP and TS, M Ramesh, said, “We have held a meeting and discussed the financial implications of having only three shows. We have decided to urge the government to avoid night curfew until midnight. This is more necessary during the present festive season. ”

In a retort to the adverse comments on Tollywood producers by YSR Congress MLA Nallapureddy Prasannareddy, film producer Thammareddy Bharadwaja objected to the tendency to bring shades of caste and religion into the film industry. He challenged the MLA to come for an open debate as to who earned huge money.

He said that the entire film unit would be involved in film production. Once a film is released, the politicians collect money. How do politicians make huge money in a short span of time, by involving initially in gram panchayat level negotiations,” he said.

He alleged that politicians, by investing one rupee, loot the entire country. “On the other hand, we are making some money from ticket collections after investing crores of rupees for film production,” he pointed out.

Film director VN Aditya too reacted sharply to the MLA’s comments by saying those working in the film industry would need to feel proud as they work hard to produce a film. “Though I felt slighted after reading about the comment from the MLA, that the film industry people felt being proud (balupu); but after thinking on it, I realised that we should have such a feeling.

“You politicians will be having such a feeling only for five years. We will be having the same feeling as long as we survive on Earth and the Telugu films survive. Can you show the whole world for your entire family in your lifetime with Rs 150, as we do,” he asked the YSRC MLA.