Bengaluru, Apr 16: The lockdown in the wake ofthe coronavirus pandemic has turned out to be a deeply painful story for the Kannada film industry.
Schedules have gone awry following the stay-at-home curbs and operators in Sandalwood, as the industry is popularly known as, say about 100 films under production are affected.
They include big budget movies- 'Raja Veera Madakari Nayaka', 'Kotigobba 3', 'Robert' and 'Yuvaratna.'
Noted producer Rockline Venkatesh told P T I that the loss to the industry is to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees.
In addition, it's a challenge for producers to secure the content of their movies from "piracy and leak" during long periods of time before their release, Venkatesh, who is Secretary of Karnataka Cine Artistes' Association, said.
A leading distributor said even after the lockdown is lifted and situation returns to normalcy, it remains a big question if investment in film business will pay off at all.
"People don't have money. We will know the impact when things become normal. Questions many ask if people will return to cinema halls like the way they did before or they prefer to stay away from crowd."
Venkatesh, who had also produced Rajinikanth-starrer 'Lingaa' and co-produced 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' with Salman Khan in the lead role, said it would take at least one to one-and- half years for the industry to be back on its legs.
"That too if the government does hand-holding but if the industry faces a bad hit in terms of income tax and GST and other taxation, 80-90 per cent of the industry will face closure," he said.
"It does not matter if the government does not help the industry but they should not trouble us with things like IT and GST," Venkatesh, who is also a distributor and artiste, said.
A top director said people's "behaviour" towards movies is crucial for the industry's health in the post lockdown scenario.
"With people likely to shy away from going to malls, cinema theatres because of large gatherings there, it's going to be a long road to recovery for us", an industry insider said.
Striking a philosophical tone, Venkatesh said all that people worry now is to save their life and keep good health, adding, amassing money and wealth is the last thing on their mind.
Producers Soorappa Babu and Umesh Banakar, who is also Vice-President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, told P T I that the industry has taken a huge hit.
Banakar said the loss to the industry due to the lockdown is at least Rs 1,000 crore.
"The coronavirus has affected the entire world. We don't know what to do; we just have to wait," Soorappa Babu, producer of Kiccha Sudeep-starrer 'Kotigobba 3', said.
Appreciating the work of police, who have arrested four suspects in connection with the murder, RSS Kshetreeya Sanghachalak V Nagaraj said, "If the involvement of PFI and SDPI in a larger conspiracy is proved, we will seek a ban on them from the Centre."
Comments
If RSS and other chillar saffron pillas are banned....then all Muslim based parties will surely back off....try it
..India will be a Better place to live......
if u say to ban SDPI and PFI wht abt the killers who killed more thn 1000's of Muslim & Dalits in india who will ban those who killed this muslims & dalits they are nationlist this RSS VHP ABVP Sangi shld b banned first in india if you ban this guys thn india will b peace country y u all involving kerala in this in kerala they kill for political reason @mohan and @nirmal u mean to ban all the parties in kerala and in india thn only RSS will rule the country no it will never happen everyone hve rights in india dont point others b4 pointing others look into you wht you guys are upto thn point others for ban or anything wht RSS do notice tht firts insted saying to other parites
First RSS should be banned. Then automatically there wont be any problem, coz the root cause of all the hatred is from this organization.
Also Ban Praveen Poojary killers & thier organization like Bajarang dal , VHP , HJV and Gow rakshak sangs ! !
How about RSS involved in various terrorist activity....I am not a member of both parties....but who are these tapaories to ban....
Same way why don't they ask central govt to ban gang, which is involved in killing Udupi Praveen Poojary?
A new TWIST to hide the real CULPRITS who were caught few days back... We all know cheddis evil agenda ... We dont trust them anymore....
How many times you asked centre When RSS members were hacked to death in Kerala . multiple times in a year ........? that means LDF UDF Congress......CPM and other parties should be banned for killing RSS members ?
If it was possible . then long back would have done .......this is GOD's World .....No evil can claim as its own.......Wa jaa'a haqq wa zahakal bathil ...........Falsehood should persih ...as it is bound to perish .......
and remember RSS is not patriotic not Hindu Organization..........and who are you to ask centre ......BJP elected not to control but to maintain a country
cpm and BJP are in open war in kerala and killing each other , never find any wrong on them ... any govt ruled in India since 70 years never find any guilty on RSS , where as most of the reports pointed its direct hands and some times its ideology behind it ...
central govt may hurriedly take action , if anybody approach action against PFI , as they effortlessly working to ban ZAkir naik and his org.. and keen to ban triple talaq.
Ban Also the Killers of
Ghandhi
Dabolkar
Panesar
Karkera
Akhlaq
hahahahahaha, what are these guys upto, they kill their own members and point out other organization.
when go rakshak killed the bjp worker, why did you keep quiet, did u ask govt to ban go rakshak.
This clearly says their intention is communal hatred.
America enlisted RSS in one of the Biggest Terrorist organization. Assam123.com.
The agenda of banning PFI and SDPI already there since RSS is running the central govt. But its hard nuts crack.
Add new comment