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By:
JBR
Strange things happen in our Republic. One of them is the Government grant for low budget films. No other industry enjoys this benefit.
As a consequence of the repeated appeal from the Producers’ Council the Government has announced a raise of the grant to Rs.7 lakhs. What is more surprising is that this grant was disbursed the next day following the announcement.
Is this grant valid?
No other business functioning in Tamilnadu receives such a grant. But then, why this grant only to the film industry?
The reason is that cinema is art.
Is this art as described by the recipients of this grant? Definitely not. The film industry is dominated by people who consider it as a money making proposition. Most are in it to make money by catering to the base cravings of the people. The base craving is not confined to sex alone. Most films that are produced are made to induce radical reactions to romantic feelings among ordinary people, family sentiments, religious beliefs and caste passions.
It is also common to hear the wailing of these people who cry hoarse about piracy only because of the financial loss they had to incur. To them cinema is art only for awards and grants, but it will be business if there is a crunch. It is important to remember that these are the same people who appealed for loans for producing movies from the Government.
It is very obvious that 90% of films that get the grant don’t have evidence of uniqueness. These so called low budget films are not only low in budget, but low in quality too. It is a pity that many films that do deserve grant are not getting any. B Lenin, director and editor feels that the rules of the Information Department governing the grant are the reason.
Lenin’s film ‘Rakkai’ too found place in the list of films receiving grant for the year 2004-2005. He also accepted the Second award for the best film for ‘Rakkai’ at the hands of Chief Minister on 23rd of last month. At that time he handed over a white cover to the Chief Minister. What was in that cover?
People who were wondering about it got the answer the next day. Lenin started a fast and a vow not to speak in front of the Film Chamber. It was no wonder that an award winning director and the son of a celebrated director Bhim Singh should go about protesting like that. Only after finishing his fasting, he opened his mind to the reporters.
His film ‘Rakkai’ that won the Government award has been sent to the Grant Committee. But the Committee rejected it on account of some of the rules governing the grant.
What are those rules?
Even low budget films should have had 8 prints.
The duration of the film should be at least two hours.
On these two counts, the Committee had rejected the film ‘Rakkai’.
Practically talking about it, Lenin says, "The rule of minimum 8 prints is not there in the Central Government grant rules. It is not there in Karnataka Government rules. The grant is 7 lakhs. Taking 8 prints for ‘Rakkai’ alone would cost Rs. 8 lakhs".
Moreover, both the Central Government and the Karnataka Government allows films that have duration of 70 minutes and more. Lenin points out that even without release, John Abraham’s ‘Agraharathil Kazhudhai’ won the Central Government’s award.
Lenin has made an appeal to the Chief Minister to reconsider the rules of the Information Department that govern the grant. Lenin was the one who directed Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s last film ‘Nadhiyai Thedi Vanda Kadal’ (1981). As the son of Bhim Singh, the Chief Minister has respect for him. People who support Lenin’s appeal expect a positive resolution of the matter.
At the same time, Mukta Srinivasan who is a member of the Selection Committee for the grant has sent a letter to the Chief Minister. He has mentioned in the letter that the film ‘Rakkai’ stands out in quality among all low budget films received for consideration of grant.
Grant for films is not considered valid. By eliminating good art films on account of rules and selecting undeserving films for grant is hurting.
True art lovers are hoping that the Chief Minister will find a suitable resolution to this.
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-07.03.2006
