SECOND TO NONE
LET people like Subhash K Jha (SCREEN, December 2) know that Asha Bhonsle is second to none, not even to the high and mighty Lata Mangeshkar. Jha may be a fanatic Lata fan, but as a regular contributor to SCREEN, he ought to know better than to slight India’s pride, the one and only Asha. In my estimate, Asha has surpassed Lata and has left her far behind years ago in terms of versatility and range.
Manohar
Janak Puri, New Delhi

LOOK BEFORE YOU CELEBRATE
AS one who has been watching movies in UP cinemas over the last two decades, I am surprised at the euphoric headlines (SCREEN, December 29), on the slashing of Entertainment Tax rates in the state to 40 per cent.
The reduction of ET from 150 per cent to 100 per cent was done, after many cinema owners already diversified from exhibition of films to other business sectors. Further this reduction failed to breathe life into this gasping sector, due to the low turnout at theatres, thanks to the poor law and order situation in most UP towns, keeping the audience away from the night shows. The lack of quality movies and the sky-rocketing admission rates, despite the cut in ET were also to blame.

The reported reduction of ET to 60 per cent in August 2000 has not reached the consumer for theatres are charging 100 per cent ET even today.
Cinema owners are least concerned about audience comfort and quality projection. The cinemas do not have any code in charging admission rates. When they had a hit, after a prolonged drought in Biwi No. 1, one theatre hiked the rates by Rs 10. For Mission Kashmir, they hiked the rates before the release only to reduce it again by Rs 10 a week later.

A mere reduction in ET is no answer to the ills in the exhibition sector in UP. Remember, surgery delayed is life denied.
K Karamcheti
Mall Road, Meerut

A COUP INDEED
THIS has reference to the Short-Take “A casting coup” (SCREEN, December 15). Undoubtedly, Abhishek Bachchan has a lot of talent to make it big in films. He was the right actor in so many wrong films like Refugee, Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa and Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke. Now that he has signed on the dotted line to act in a Rajshri Movie alongwith Hrithik Roshan, the good days for the immensely gifted actor appear around the corner.
Jyotiranjan Biswal
Durgapur, Orissa

HE DESERVES THE CRORES
SUPERSTAR Amitabh Bachchan has set a magnificent example to hundreds of filmstars, MPs and MLAs and defaulters in other walks of life with regard to the repayment of their legitimate dues to their creditors, by presenting a cheque of nearly Rs 10 crore to the Prasar Bharati Corporation on December 28, 2000, in New Delhi. He hopes to clear the balance of Rs 10 crore by the end of 2001.

In the Lok Sabha, we often come across long lists of defaulters, some of them ministers and many MPs, who at every session of Parliament are unanimous in hiking their monthly salaries and allowances from time to time, but are never anxious to clear off their debts. That is really shameful.

Congratulations, therefore, to Amitabh Bachchan for not only earning crores through his inimitable talent but also being an honourable superstar in clearing his debts and starting his ABCL once again on a clear slate.
Sushila Rani Patel
Pali Hill, Bandra (W)

GREAT GOING, SCREEN
I have been a regular subscriber to SCREEN since 1967, and have collected all issues so far. I find each issue interesting and informative. Hope SCREEN becomes newsier and colourful in the New Year. The article on Vishwas Nerurkar, “The Great Lover of Music” (SCREEN, December 15) was of great interest to me. Now I’d sure love to read his books.
Kaushal Kumar
Niralanagar, Lucknow

A GREAT COVER
Your cover story on Kajol “Make-up, Movies and Marriage” (SCREEN, December 29), was interesting.
Indeed after a long gap, Kajol has appeared on the silver screen with her home production Raju Chacha. But the initial box-office returns do smack of a lukewarm response.
TR Anand
Budge Trunk Road, Sarangabad

... AND THEY DESERVE THE FLAK
LETTERS appearing in SCREEN about the Sawal Dus Crore Ka debacle seem to be mostly critical of Zee TV and sympathetic towards the anchors. I disagree with this trend even though I have no great liking for Zee TV after it butchered Hum Aapke Hain Kaun by chopping off several songs while telecasting the film. And I think the channel fully deserves the ignominy of falling from the first to the third place in audience ratings.

But in the matter of SDCK Zee TV is more sinned against then sinning. The programme was no doubt clumsy, but then, why pay obscene sums of money to star-anchors if their supposed star power and charisma cannot rise above a poor concept? I am sure TV personalities like Shekhar Suman or even Archana Puran Singh could have done a much better job of it at a fraction of the cost to the channel. Anupam Kher and Manisha Koirala failed miserably and they fully deserve all the flak they are getting.
K Raghunath
St Thomas Mt., Chennai