‘Screen Konkani films during prime time slots’

PANAJI: Goa government can promote the making of more Konkani films if it adopts the Maharashtra government’s policy, which makes screening of Marathi films during the prime time slots in cinema halls mandatory, multiple national award winning Kannada filmmaker P Sheshadri told TOI in Panaji on Thursday.
He said that the Goa government should take note of the reduction in the number of Konkani feature films available for screening at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi).
“Last year, three Konkani feature films were screened at Iffi. This year only one is being screened. Goa and all states should learn from the Maharashtra government. Marathi films were also diminishing in number upto the early 2000s. After the film ‘Shwaas’ won acclaim, the Maharashtra government introduced a policy for filmmaking. It is mandatory there for cinema halls and multiplexes to screen at least one Marathi film during the prime slots everyday. In other states, the regional language films are given slots like 8.30am and 10.30am, when no one is available to watch the movies,” Sheshadri, whose film ‘December 1’ was screened at Iffi this year, said.
He said that this policy of the Maharashtra government has worked wonders for Marathi cinema and year after year the number of Marathi films chosen for screening in the Indian Panorama section at Iffi is on the rise. This year seven have been chosen for screening in the section.
“Marathi films also get 30 to 40 lakh of subsidy each and it helps the filmmaker a great deal as they have to recover costs afterall,” he said.
Sheshadri said that for most government’s, cinema is the last priority. He also expressed his disappointment at fewer Kannada films being chosen for screening in the Indian Panorama section.
“Last year as well as this year, just one Kannada film was chosen for screening in the Indian Panorama section. I do not understand why. Because there are a lot of experimental films being made in Kannada and I felt that there were a few entries in Kannada which were very good,” Sheshadri said.