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Editorial
RAJASTHAN
GETS MOVIE-FRIENDLY
IT’S
like day and night. A picture of stark contrasts. Maharashtra, cinema’s
native state may be seeped in movie history, and the creme de la creme
of India’s showbiz glitterati may still call Mumbai home. Sadly,
the state’s movie policy is now in tatters and doesn’t extend
beyond milking the industry dry with a monstrous glut of taxes. Rajasthan,
on the other hand, may have little history to crow about, cinema-wise,
yet, seems to be getting increasingly movie-savvy by the week.
This is no exaggeration, mind you: it’s a marvel so many of our filmfolk
are still rooted to Mumbai, considering the odds stacked against them.
Maharashtra must qualify as the Indian state most hostile to showbiz,
barring the odd exception, such as Rabri Devi’s Bihar, for instance.
Slowly but surely, our filmfolk have begun to realise it makes much more
sense to move their production base to friendlier climes, such as Hyderabad.
Unless there’s a major upheaval in its movie policy at the earliest,
Mumbai may well be left to lick its wounds and nurse its rotting edifice,
for all it cares. And it may well happen sooner than it reckons it will.
ROLLING THE RED CARPET
IF Hyderabad’s become the hot, new, happening movietown, Jaipur’s
just about getting ready to give it a good run for its money. It’s
been making positive noises, calling the filmmakers attention to itself
for a while, now. Last week, the Rajasthan government pulled out the last
stop, throwing several enticing offers at Mumbai’s filmfolk. This
time, they’re indeed, hard to resist.
All it takes is some firm resolve, and a little showbiz savvy as Jaipur’s
showed. For starters, it’s on the verge of announcing industry status
for filmdom, with all its accompanying attractions. It’s even invited
the industry leaders to prepare a list of their expectations from the
status. Provided they don’t ask for the moon, their recommendations
may well be implemented.
And there’s more to come: films with more than half of their footage
shot in the state will be totally exempt from entertainment tax. For film
shoots at any of the historical monuments in the state, the rates have
been reduced to 25 per cent of the previous figure, and the amount collected
thus will go entirely into the conservation and maintenance of the monuments.
A registered society is being set up to see that the money is properly
utilised for the same.
Cinemas in towns with populations under 50,000 are entitled to a 50 per
cent tax holiday and a slash in stamp duty. Committees to look after the
legal aspects of the industry and the allotment of land for studios and
new cinemas is to be set up. The crackdown on piracy will be renewed with
fresh vigour. And perhaps what will enthuse our filmfolk more than anything
else, is the news that a single window system is to be set up to deal
with all aspects of the entertainment industry. This will reduce the delay
in processing of papers, such as those granting permissions for new multiplexes,
from around three years to a few weeks, and thus encourage the construction
of new cinemas.
AS THE NUMBERS DWINDLE...
COMPARE Maharashtra’s movie policy with Rajasthan’s and the
cussedness and the bankruptcy of ideas in the Vilasrao Deshmukh government
becomes all the more evident. It has all but 1100 cinemas, while Andhra
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have more than 2500 each. And to make matters even
worse, more theatres in the state are on the verge of closing down. If
you’re wondering what the reason is, well, look no further. With
films continuing to do badly at the turnstiles, the exhibitors have burnt
their fingers over most of the recent acquisitions. What’s worse,
with the glut of taxes, mounting maintenance and running costs, electricity
tariff and the like, they’ve had to contend with mind-boggling losses
each month. And the smarter exhibitors have realised that real estate
can be put to much more profitable uses than running theatres.
Other sectors of filmdom have reasons to complain of governmental neglect,
too, as pointed out last week. The sales tax issue, which is still hanging
fire, has come as the last straw. Should the government decide to reintroduce
the contemptible levy, it will, no doubt, have to contend with the industry’s
collective ire. As well it should.
So, here we have it. Rajasthan has shown the way. If the Maharashtra government
cannot come up with similar measures to help the ailing industry, it should
at least lay off such abominable taxes. For showbiz’s sake, stop
flogging a dead horse.
Shaju George Alex