Distributors, producers quit KFCC in a huff

BANGALORE: The Kannada film industry plunged into fresh crisis on Monday with most of the remaining members resigning from its apex governing body — Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC).
The 12-member exhibitor sector quit last week after the KFCC passed a resolution on the contentious Rs 1.50 per ticket service tax, asking theatre owners (exhibitors) to share this equally with producers.Upping the ante, producers on Monday demanded at a high-power KFCC committee meet that the chamber give a letter asking the government to scrap the service tax.
“KFCC president S. Ramesh refused, so all producers and distributors on the executive committee, as well as office-bearers have resigned,’’ producer-director Joe Simon told this paper. Reacting to the developments Ramesh said: “I am not happy with the way things went today. Distributors were forced to put in their papers.’’ His confidante and distributor secretary, G.K. Kutty said:�As a KFCC office-bearer I did not want to resign, but pressure was brought on us by some.’’ In their resignation letters, members contended that failure of the exhibitors to honour the KFCC resolution had led to the present crisis.
Theatres may reopen today: “Several theatres have already opened in Bangalore and most non-Kannada theatres will begin screening on Tuesday. The Bangalore police commissioner has taken interest and directed all stations to give us security to reopen,’’ an exhibitor said. Plan of action: A fresh programme to shut down the industry and hold a rally on Thursday was chalked out at a meeting at the residence of Parvathamma Rajkumar on Monday evening. “Everyone, including artistes and technicians, will participate. We will hand over a memorandum demanding abolition of service tax to chief minister S.M. Krishna,’’ producers association president Basanth Kumar Patil said.
While Rajkumar himself is expected to participate, top stars Vishnuvardhan, Ambarish, Ravichandran, Shivrajkumar, Upendra and Puneet Rajkumar have confirmed their presence, Simon said. Information minister Allum Veerabhadrappa has called a meeting of all sectors and the KFCC on Wednesday.
Patil said: “We want to speak to only the CM, so we may not attend it.’’ Exhibitors’ meet today: Exhibitors are holding a state-level meeting in Hubli on Tuesday to chalk out strategy. Sources said non-Kannada distributors are unhappy at being forced to keep their films out of theatres.
Theatres allege coercion Theatres in Bangalore downed shutters for the fourth consecutive day. Though those showing English films have nothing to do with the protest, they were reportedly forced to down shutters. “We have only foreign distributors and have nothing to do with the protest, but we are forced to incur loss,’’ said Rex theatre manager Mutthaih. The college crowd are the most disappointed lot. “It’s getting tougher to spend our holidays,’’ said a student.