Maharashtra eases stand on primetime screening of Marathi movies

MUMBAI: In a climb down from its earlier stand, the Maharashtra government has decided to allow theatre and multiplex owners to screen Marathi movies between noon and 9 pm, instead of its earlier order for 6 pm to 11.30 pm.

The decision came after Minister of School Education and Culture Vinod Tawde held a meeting with representatives of theatre and multiplex owners and Marathi producers. During the meeting, representatives of multiplex operators Inox and PVR said they would be willing to show Marathi movies from noon to 9 pm.

Actor-producer Mahesh Kothari and Vijay Patkar, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, who were present at the meeting, didn’t oppose the proposal.

Speaking later to ET, Patkar said, “We are very happy with this new formula as now Marathi films will not be shown in the morning. This arrangement will suit us perfectly.”