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Don’t Collect Entertainment Tax for Kochadaiiyaan: HC

[email protected] (Cine News)
May 23, 2014

Chennai, May 23: The Madras High Court has directed all theatre owners in the State not to collect entertainment tax from viewers of the much awaited Tamil feature film Kochadaiiyaan, starring Superstar Rajinikanth and Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone.

Tax for Kochadaiiyaan

A vacation bench of Justices M M Sundresh and R Mahadevan gave the direction while passing interim orders on a public interest writ petition from advocate S Muthiah of Ernavur, on Thursday.

According to the petitioner, the TN government issued an order dated July 21, 2011, granting exemption from entertainment tax for films bearing Tamil names, old films, holders of copyright of Tamil films and old and new Tamil films which are in consonance with Tamil language and culture. Challenging this, the petitioner filed a writ petition and the High Court on April 10, 2013 granted an interim stay of the 2011 GO. Citing the stay order, the government refused exemption from entertainment tax for Tenaliraman and Yennamo Yedho. Challenging this, the producers moved the Madras High Court and the matter was pending. The TN government passed a GO on May 12 this year granting ET exemption to Kochadaiiyaan. It also issued a circular stating that the exemption granted is applicable only from the date of grant of exemption and not before that.

The petitioner contended that when the operation of the main 2011 GO had been stayed, the government could not grant exemption to Kochadaiiyaan. The authorities have no regard or respect for the order of the High Court and are liable to be punished under the Contempt of Court Act, the petitioner said and sought to quash the May 12 GO.

Passing an interim order on Thursday, the judge said that admittedly the exemption granted stands valid as of today. Therefore, the exhibitors cannot demand and collect ET from the public. “In such view of the matter, we pass an interim order directing the Commercial Tax and Registration department and the theatre owners not to collect any tax for which the exemption has been granted by the May 12 GO,” the bench said.

The bench also permitted the petitioner to file an application to implead all the exhibitors in the manner known to law. It made it clear that the price as fixed by the government alone should be charged and collected.

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Agencies
July 25,2020

Mumbai, Jul 25: Movie theatres have been shuttered for months due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country, but the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has now recommended that the Union Home Ministry allow cinema halls to reopen in August. 

I&B Secretary Amit Khare indicated this at a close-door industry interaction with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He said Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla at the Home Ministry would take the final call.

Khare said that he has recommended that cinema halls may be allowed to reopen all over India as early as August 1, or at the latest, around August 31.

The formula suggested is that alternate seats in the first row and then the next row be kept vacant, and proceeding in this fashion throughout.

Khare said that his ministry's recommendation takes into consideration the two metre social distancing norm, but tweaks it gently to two yards instead. The Home Ministry, however, still has to revert on the recommendation.

Cinema owners, present in the interaction, however, pushed back and said this formula is unwise and merely running films at 25% auditorium capacity is worse than keeping the cinemas shut.

The attendees at the meet included media CEOs like N.P. Singh of Sony, Sam Balsara (Madison), Megha Tata, (Discovery), Gaurav Gandhi (Amazon Prime), Manish Maheshwari (Twitter), S. Sivakumar (Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd), and K Madhavan, Star & Disney, and also Chairman, CII Media Committee.

The OTT platforms present, including Gandhi of Amazon Prime, did not push back. Some Bollywood producers, notably those of Amitabh Bachchan's Gulabo Sitabo, have posted their movies on OTT, rather than live out the lockdown uncertainty.

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News Network
May 20,2020

New Delhi, May 20: Singer Justin Bieber on Wednesday thanked his Indian fans for showering love on his newly-launched song 'Stuck With U'.

The 26-year-old singer shared a video on Twitter, that featured many Indian music enthusiasts crooning and making their own individual creative videos with the song playing in the background.

In reaction to it, the 'Yummy' singer tweeted: "Thank You India"

Bieber and American singer Ariana Grande teamed up for the song earlier this month to help the people affected and who are in need during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The official music video was dropped on May 8. The romantic track marks the first collaboration of the duo.

The music video has cameos by the singer's partners and features many special moments shared by the couple amid lockdown.

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News Network
June 24,2020

Mumbai, Jun 24: Veteran choreographer Saroj Khan has been admitted to a hospital here after she complained of breathing problems.

According to a source close to her family, the 71-year old choreographer was rushed to Guru Nanak Hospital in Bandra on Saturday.

Following her hospitalisation, a mandatory Covid-19 test was done, which turned out to be negative.

"She is fine now and recovering. She had breathing issues and was taken to hospital for that. Her Covid test was done which turned out negative. She doesn't have any symptoms. She is likely to be discharged in a day or two," the source told PTI.

In a career spanning over four decades, Khan is credited with choreographing more than 2,000 songs.

The three-time National Award winner has choreographed for some of the most memorable tracks, including "Dola Re Dola" from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Devdas", "Ek Do Teen" from Madhuri Dixit-starrer "Tezaab" and "Ye Ishq Haaye" from "Jab We Met" in 2007.

She last choreographed for "Tabaah Hogaye", featuring Madhuri from filmmaker Karan Johar's production "Kalank" in 2019.

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