All eyes on Jaitley

A NEW LOOK NFDC ON THE CARDS

New Delhi: The combined pressure exerted by several quarters of the film industry seems to have finally come to bear on the ministry of information and broadcasting. The government has begun to give serious thought to the problems of the industry. Perhaps, this time, it does mean business after all.

Senior I&B ministry officials opine that though the process was initiated much earlier, when industry status was granted to filmdom, it is only now that the specific demands related to concessions under 80 HHC, electricity tariff and export benefits are being tackled in right earnest.

The new I&B minister, Arun Jaitley, has also begun to review the different units including the NFDC, which are related to films. “The reviews may take not more than two weeks. Later, the minister will even meet the leaders of the film industry. We are making every effort to appease the filmfolk. They will have no reason to complain of neglect now,” an official in the ministry told SCREEN.

The NFDC appears to be on top of the priority list, especially with the selection process for a permanent managing director and members of the board having already been initiated. The government feels the NFDC, which is financially in bad shape, must become self-reliant. All aid to the NFDC has already been cut.

As per the policy decisions now on the anvil, the NFDC may soon stop funding any filmmaker who does not have a sizeable target audience in mind. Says Ashok Sinha, joint secretary (films), “There should be a happy balance between art and commercial elements. Art for art’s sake is best left to the training institutes such as the FTII, where the government already spends a great deal of money. The NFDC must be a revenue generating outfit if it expects to survive.”

The ministry feels an organisation such as the NFDC cannot afford to be a training institute for upcoming talent to hone its skills. Recently the NFDC joined hands with NCYP, the organisation for children’s films headed by Sai Paranjpye to release its films in commercial theatres. Commercial theatres in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bhopal are being hired by it to release not only its own films but also those produced by NCYP. And Sinha insists the response has been “quite positive.”

Meanwhile, I&B officials are looking forward to the round table discussion being organised by FICCI on November 3 in New Delhi. Representatives of the film industry, FICCI, and various government departments are expected to share views at the meet.

Officials say the single window system mooted by the former I&B minister, MA Naqvi, to address the problems of filmdom exclusively, is impractical. This is because, the industry’s needs are linked to several ministries, departments and state governments. And the I&B ministry has to consult these ministries before taking decisions. The I&B ministry does have a single window system, but all it does at the moment is grant permissions for foreign film units to shoot in India.

He’s one of us, after all!
Believe it or not, Arun Jaitley, the new I&B minister, is a filmman. He is a member of the Western India Film Producers Association, and has been a member since October 17, 1986. In fact, his membership (number 2881) is valid till end 1999.

Disclosing this, Naresh Munot, vice-president of the WIFPA, said he was proud the minister is a WIFPA man. He admitted he himself was blissfully ignorant of the fact until he stumbled upon Jaitley’s membership recently. “I have no idea why he sought membership, or has been paying subscriptions regularly. Perhaps he was toying with the idea of making a film,” Munot added.

Amitabh Parashar