Producers’ Guild to seek damages

Producers’ Guild to seek damages
Times of India

Bangalore: Citing revenue losses due to the threeweek moratorium on release of non-Kannada films in Karnataka, the Producers’ Guild of India (PGI) has decided to approach court and claim damages.

Barring six theatres in Bangalore, 1,200 in the state have implemented the moratorium as part of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’, despite the Supreme Court and High Court ruling against it.

“The claims may run into crores of rupees. The suit will be filed in a Mumbai court. South Indian film producers too will initiate similar measures to recover losses sustained due to the moratorium,’’ PGI advocate and theatre owner Dhananjay K.V. said on Wednesday.

The PGI has also decided to take punitive action against persons responsible for implementation of the moratorium.

Contempt:

Since the moratorium has been implemented under an out-of-court settlement, the PGI will file contempt charges against several individuals of the Kannada film industry, Dhananjay added.

DyCM fumes:

Deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah, who was apprised of the developments on Wednesday, rejected a proposal to convene a meeting of the high power panel on films.

A delegation of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) called on him here. “He was terribly upset after he came to know that Hindi film producers were moving a contempt petition against the moratorium, with the state government as one of the respondents. He asked us to resolve the matter on our own,’’ KFCC sources told The Times of India later.

With so much opposition against the moratorium, the KFCC has decided to urge the government to drop the issue.
“The moratorium has met a dead end. It is no more feasible. We want the government to address the genuine problems of the film industry,’’ sources added.

The KFCC has convened an emergency meeting on Thursday to ensure that the film industry does not get into legal complications on account of the moratorium. “We will urge the producers and directors to withdraw the demand for moratorium. There is no other option,’’ the sources stated.

SIDDARAMAIAH FUMES


Siddaramaiah was reportedly upset after he came to know that Hindi film producers were moving a contempt plea against the moratorium. He asked KFCC to resolve the matter on its own.