Regional Entertainment Industry calls for Centre's aid
Any aid by the Centre will not only encourage the regional entertainment industry but will also make it globally relevant.
By Pallavi Arun Verma, INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK |
NEW DELHI: With the emergence of numerous 24x7 television channels, the once ailing Marathi, Bengali and Bhojpuri Cinema has risen from its own ashes, much like a phoenix. Regional Cinema has a great appeal to masses. But with their limited budget and restricted distribution channels, the growth doesn't come easy.
Industry representatives from the ranks of noted Marathi Director Mahesh Manjrekar, Gujarati Actor and Ex-MP Arvind Trivedi and Bhojpuri film Actor and Singer Manoj Tiwari raised their concerns at the Global Summit on Entertainment and Media here on Wednesday. Many other eminent personalities from their respective industry spoke on the "Relevance of Regional Media and Entertainment Industry in Global Context".
Manjrekar, who has given critically acclaimed films like Astitva, Viruddh and Vaastav to Bollywood, said the Centre should look at giving more assistance to regional Cinema besides the financial aid given as subsidies."This will not only encourage the regional industry but will also make it globally relevant. Shwaas, a Marathi film, made India proud at the Oscars with its nomination in the foreign film category," he said.
Zee News, CEO, Barun Das, opined, "Consumers' propensity to pay for media consumption is more for regional content." The Subhash Chandra-owned Zee owns a huge bouquet of regional channels namely Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Gujarati, etc. Trivedi, who has acted in several Gujarati films, said the Rs 5 lakh subsidy by the state government should be increased and something should be done by the Centre as well. The margins are too low for regional industry. In addition, piracy eats up a great share of the profits, he added.
India produces about 1000 films every year, including 60 per cent from the South – Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, Tamil Cinema Producer and Distributor L Suresh said at the Global Summit.
Industry representatives from the ranks of noted Marathi Director Mahesh Manjrekar, Gujarati Actor and Ex-MP Arvind Trivedi and Bhojpuri film Actor and Singer Manoj Tiwari raised their concerns at the Global Summit on Entertainment and Media here on Wednesday. Many other eminent personalities from their respective industry spoke on the "Relevance of Regional Media and Entertainment Industry in Global Context".
Manjrekar, who has given critically acclaimed films like Astitva, Viruddh and Vaastav to Bollywood, said the Centre should look at giving more assistance to regional Cinema besides the financial aid given as subsidies."This will not only encourage the regional industry but will also make it globally relevant. Shwaas, a Marathi film, made India proud at the Oscars with its nomination in the foreign film category," he said.
Zee News, CEO, Barun Das, opined, "Consumers' propensity to pay for media consumption is more for regional content." The Subhash Chandra-owned Zee owns a huge bouquet of regional channels namely Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Gujarati, etc. Trivedi, who has acted in several Gujarati films, said the Rs 5 lakh subsidy by the state government should be increased and something should be done by the Centre as well. The margins are too low for regional industry. In addition, piracy eats up a great share of the profits, he added.
India produces about 1000 films every year, including 60 per cent from the South – Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, Tamil Cinema Producer and Distributor L Suresh said at the Global Summit.
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