Minister: steps initiated to renovate two cinemas

Minister: steps initiated to renovate two cinemas

The Hindu

`Proposals received on Puttanna and Shankar Nag will be studied'

# Plan on converting the Bal Bhavan auditorium into a full-fledged cinema welcomed
# Screening children's films at Puttanna and Shankar Nag cinemas to be looked into

BANGALORE: The Government has initiated measures to renovate Puttanna Kanagal and Shankar Nag (Symphony) mini cinemas situated at Jayanagar Shopping Complex and Public Utility building on Mahatma Gandhi Road respectively, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education R. Ramalinga Reddy has said.

Mr. Reddy was inaugurating a weeklong children's film festival organised by "Children's India" here on Friday.

The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) will take decision only after screening the proposals it had received for streamlining the administration of both cinemas it owned. Although it was true that some private persons were keen on taking the responsibility of running the cinemas, the Government would look into various aspects before making a decision. It would also look into the suggestions made by some interested organisations and persons on the viability of screening children's films at Puttanna and Shankar Nag cinemas, he said.

On the suggestion to convert the Bal Bhavan auditorium into a full-fledged cinema to show only children's films by upgrading facilities, Mr. Reddy said the Government would welcome the idea. Responding to the demand that the Government extend the annual subsidy of Rs. 25 lakhs for all children's films produced during the year, he said that as a matter of policy they were committed to giving a subsidy of Rs. 25 lakhs each for two films only. However, he would draw the attention of those concerned to the request, he said.

Refusing to declare special holidays for schools to hold children's film festival on specific days throughout the State, as suggested by N.R. Nanjunde Gowda of Children's India, Mr. Reddy said that the festival could be organised during the summer or Dasara holidays.

The President of the Kannada Film Producers' Association Sandesh Nagaraj spoke of the problems of children's film producers in getting cinemas for screening their films. The award winner film-maker Ramdas Naidu spoke. Noted film star B. Saroja Devi presided over the function.

Over 25 children's films in Kannada, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Assamese, Bengali and Marathi will be screened at Pallavi and Kalpana cinemas and Bal Bhavan auditorium. Lacklustre affair

The wisdom of holding children's film festivals at a time when the schools have reopened after the vacation and in some cases the children have to face the preparatory examinations has come to the fore, now that the city is hosting the "Children's Film Festival of India 2006."

It was noticed at the festival, which was inaugurated on Friday, that some of the parents and children were reluctant participants.

The festival, held at Pallavi theatre, which can accommodate over 700 people, proved to be a lacklustre affair owing to the poor presence of children, parents and school representatives.