| From the golden era of V Shantaram, Dadasaheb Phalke and Prabhat Film Company, Marathi regional cinema went through a trough in 1970's with production dwindling to 3-4 movies a year. However it has now come a full circle with projections of 75 Marathi movies to hit the screen this year.
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| Since 1997 Marathi cinema has been conferred with state subsidies and entertainment tax free status whereby producers are given a subsidy of Rs 15 lakh each from their second film onwards for three films by the Government of Maharashatra.
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| This subsidy has been doubled to 30 lakh from October, 2005 for the second, third and fourth movies of Marathi film production houses.
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| However, "The number of movies produced upto three years ago was limited to 30-35 per annum and the average collection from subsidies was Rs 1-1.5 crore for the industry," says Ajay Sarpotdar, Chairman, Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Chitrapat Nirmata Mandal, a representative body of the Marathi film industry with over 10,000 members and also recognised by the Government of Maharashatra.
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| The turnaround happened over the last three years with the nomination of the Marathi film Shwaas for Ocsars in 2003.
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| "Shwaas gave a new life to Marathi cinema," says Sarpotdar, however he quickly draws our attention to the multiple other factors that led to the number of movies produced doubling from an average of 30-35 per annum upto 2003 to 67 in 2004 and in 2005 and reaching 75 this year.
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| At the same time, he says, "The advent of the multiplexes created the need for regional content." More importantly, he continues, "Since 2004, the State Government was mulling over doubling the subsidy from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh for producers using the 35 mm format for their movies. However this policy only came into effect in October 2005."
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| The industry, though is not complaining at the backlog of two years. "In the last four months, 55 producers have received Rs 8-10 crore ranging in Rs 5 - 30 lakh thus clearing the backlog," shares Sarpotdar and adds, "We will give out another Rs five crore by March 2007. On an average the Marathi film industry will receive subsidies of Rs 8-10 crore every year."
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| The reversed fortunes have also resulted in sweeping changes taking place within the industry. For instance, first-time director Chitra Palekar's 'Maati Maay' which is to be released in Pune on 6 October has already received critical accolades in the Toronto International Film Festival and is also selected for screening at the London Film Festival.
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| Besides it stars Nandita Das, for the first time in a Marathi movie as the lead female protagonist with Atul Kulkarni in the lead actor. "This is a story of an Indian women who was wronged by the society, which I have chosen to direct in Marathi," says Palekar about her movie which she claims is of international standards.
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| A sure sign of the Marathi film industry having come a long way from grappling with shoestring budgets and quality as producers worked with 16mm format, to switching over to 35 mm format, bigger budgets and showcasing the films in international film festivals, to directors working on varied, offbeat or simply put different subjects to witnessing reverse talent flow as even non-Marathi actors are open to essaying challenging roles in a Marathi movie. |
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