GUWAHATI, Feb 6 - Amid the blame game between producers and exhibitors vis-a-vis the revival of Assamese cinema, the All Assam Cinema Halls Owners� Association today said that it was ready to allot the prime time demanded by producers provided they unanimously decide which slot would be the best for screening regional films.
Against the allegation of pocketing a major share of the high service charges depriving the producers and not giving prime time shows to Assamese cinema, the hall owners� association said that it was being subjected to accusations despite its best efforts to support regional cinema.
Arguing that most of the Assamese films being produced in the State have failed to draw crowds to the halls, the association president and secretary, Chinmoy Sarma and Rajib Kumar Bora, also said that exhibitors were ready to give all the proceeds from ticket sale to the Assamese film producers, provided the latter agree to give back the minimum costs incurred in running shows.
Whereas the filmmakers have been blaming the �lopsided� State Film Policy of 2007 that is adding to the coffers of the hall owners, the exhibitors countered that the policy has helped the industry, with the number of screens increasing to 75 from a mere 40 in 2001. They blamed that the ploy to do away with the policy would be suicidal for the entire film-based industry, including filmmakers and hall owners.
An ailing industry, Assamese cinema is gasping for survival since the past several decades. What has further aggravated the problem is the closure of cinema halls across the State, especially in small centres. Once profitable ventures, the halls gradually downed shutters due to the inroads made by piracy and VCDs, and also due to the impact of insurgency in the State.
Though in due course of time, the new concepts of moving theatres and mini cinema halls were mooted, the desired result did not come out and Assamese cinema suffered a major setback. In the tussle of service charge sharing and prime time, the larger issue of reviving the cinema halls has been relegated to the back burner.
�Sheer lie is being spread that the producers get only Rs 5 per show per ticket. The service charge for hall owners is still Rs 5. However, the government has made provisions that the cinema halls, which have upgraded with digital sound system, push-back seats, air conditioning and improved ambience, can levy some additional charges. Only 12-14 cinema halls currently charge Rs 40 as service charge. Of that the producers get a good share,� said Chinmoy Sarma.
He added that where the hall ticket is prices at Rs 150, Assamese film producers get more than Rs 56.10 and where a ticket is sold at Rs 60, the producers get Rs 29.70.
�I have been running Assamese films in my hall, Sarma Talkies in Pathsala, on prime time, but unfortunately, there have been many shows where I did not get even a single viewer. Moreover, the filmmakers also do not work on the publicity of their films. We screen the films incurring huge losses but end up getting criticism,� said vice president of the association, Bhupen Sarma. JP Bihani, owner of Apsara cinema hall, was also present.