Cinema halls in Punjab exempted from ET
Cinema halls in Punjab have better days ahead, as according to a notification issued by the Punjab Government cinemas have been exempted from payment of entertainment tax. Exemption from payment of entertainment tax has been granted by Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal on an appeal by the North India Motion Pictures’ Association to relieve cinema halls facing economic crisis with declining audiences. However, the Punjab Film Producers’ & Artistes’Association has protested against the state government’s decision, which will adversely affect the regional cinema.

Holland releases stamp on Bhojpuri star
The Dutch government has issued a postal stamp on Manoj Tiwari, the singer-actor of Bhojpuri films. Looking at the Bhojpuri superstar’s popularity among people from Eastern UP and Bihar, whose forefathers migrated to the Netherlands during British rule, the Netherlands’ postal department has conferred the first-of-its-kind honour on a Bhojpuri actor.
It may be added that Tiwari , hailing from Atarwalia village in Bihar’s Kaimur district, opted for Bhojpuri folk singing after graduating from Banaras Hindu University (BHU.) in 1992. He has worked in 42 Bhojpuri films so far, many of which have been superhits.