Senseless in Karnataka

Senseless in Karnataka
New Indian Express Editorial

Film producers must realise quality alone matters

Violence and bloodshed are no means to settle scores or prove a point, especially in the domain of art and cinema. And when this happens to protect language, culture or art of a region or state, such acts never produce results but only show some deplorable facets: one, how narrow-minded and chauvinistic society has become; two, how an elected government is speechless and spineless in trying to curb such acts of hooliganism; three, a tendency to allow things to drift endlessly and hoping for a natural solution to emerge. This is what has been happening over the past few weeks in the Karnataka film industry where “protectors” of Kannada have been able to successfully block non-Kannada movies from hitting the screen for seven weeks after their release in other parts of the country. This blockade has started backfiring.

Theatres in Bangalore took a bold decision to screen latest movies like “Bride and Prejudice” and “Dhoom”, allowing freedom of expression and not shutting avenues of entertainment for a cosmopolitan crowd just because some fringe elements took over the mantle to protect Kannada films. Self-proclaimed protectors of Kannada retaliated by destroying cinema theatres and posh multiplexes. There is no denying the fact that Kannada movies have been doing badly at the cash counters. But this is not because of non-Kannada movies alone, but due to an abysmal dip in standards of production, lack of credible storylines and acting prowess. Non-Kannada films are also known to dump multi-prints in the markets resulting in Kannada films getting elbowed out. Instead of raising production standards and competing, film producers took the easy route — they shut out competition. The Karnataka Government chose to adopt a ‘we-are-not-concerned’ attitude.

The present crisis raises certain critical and legal issues. Can a film producers’ association don the role of a government and impose a ban on other producers or films? Can the association go against Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution that guarantees the right to freedom of expression? And if it does violate it, can the government remain silent, thus acquiescing with an association infringing the Constitution? The moratorium has only resulted in the cash-strapped Karnataka Government losing Rs. 12 crore in two months by way of entertainment taxes and the public the opportunity to view artistic expression. The solution to the crisis is two-fold: Kannada film producers must see sense and withdraw the moratorium on non-Kannada films.