Producers sore over FICCI’s “god father” role
By MSM Desai
Discontent is brewing in Mumbai filmdom against the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI). The reason: A section of influential filmmakers are unhappy with the way FICCI has belittled the representations they made to the central and state governments, seeking sops for the film industry.
One lobby in Mumbai filmdom has questioned the very bonafide of FICCI. “Why is FICCI hobnobbing with the film industry? Is it because it wants to help us, or merely cash in on the glamour associated with filmdom?,” asks a producer on condition of anonymity.
The immediate provocation for filmdom seeing the red in FICCI’s bonafide seems to be the membership forms that its entertainment committee sent out to the top individual filmmakers in Mumbai. “How can FICCI, being an apex body of the industries, ask individual filmmakers to become its members when FFI, the apex body of the film industry, is already a member?,” ask some producers.
Although nobody is coming forward to talk openly against FICCI, industry sources say that during its one-year-old association with FICCI, which claims to have a great rapport with the powers-that-be, not a single concrete benefit has accrued to the film industry. “For whose benefit are they holding meetings with the top politicians? And what, in heaven’s name, have been the results? There are enough heavy-weights in filmdom itself, who can get all the audience they want with the politicians. We don’t need FICCI’s help to meet any of the ministers, however big they are. We certainly don’t want FICCI to take on the role of a godfather,” quipped a member of the FFI.
The industry further pointed out that it was thanks to the efforts of the filmfolk that the BJP-led government at the centre reduced the countervailing duty on film raw stock. It is again because of the industry’s efforts alone that governments like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have begun to woo Hindi filmmakers to their states for shoots, and that the finance ministry considered offering income tax benefits under HHF to filmmakers. The industry alleges that FICCI had no hand in any of these benefits coming to filmdom.
It may be recalled that several trade leaders, including DVS Raju and Shakti Samanta, had warned at the annual general body meeting of the Film Federation of India that FFI should not play into the hands of FICCI by giving up its status. The fear seems to be coming true as FICCI is projecting itself in every meeting it holds with the government on behalf of the film industry, thereby giving the impression that it is because of FICCI that the government has begun to listen to the woes of the industry.
The demand for industry status is an old one. While the industry concedes that it was during the two day international conference organised by FICCI that Sushma Swaraj, the then minister for information and broadcasting, had announced industry status for filmdom. “If FICCI has a powerful lobby in the government, why has it not been able to get the government to issue the notification recognising the film industry? No doubt, the Indian Banks Association has given a favourable report regarding lending money to the film industry. But these are fringe benefits, and have not really helped the industry in any way,” says a producer.
Another lobby which appreciates FICCI’s role feels the film industry should feel proud of associating with a powerful body like FICCI, whose voice is heard by the government. “FICCI wants the film industry to be organised like all other industries, and become transparent in all its transactions, before it seeks to cash in on the association with FICCI,” says a producer.

TOP

Other Stories...
GUJARAT STATE AWARDS ANNOUNCED
Dariya Chhoru is best film

Soft porn dominates Malayalam b-o

South artistes to pay off loans

Studio board takes offence at probe

AP govt solicits software from producers

Sri Lanka filmfest from August 28

Wages for Tamil workers revised