Indie directors demand special theatres, support from govt

Independent filmmakers like Onir, Anusha Rizvi and Amir Bashir today demanded special screening space in each state for their films as part of their newly launched 'Save Indie Cinema' campaign.
The nine filmmakers also demanded that their A-rated films be screened in a special 11pm slot on Doordarshan and satellite channels to create a viewership of the new wave indie cinema.
Onir, whose 'I Am' won two National awards, said that the government should take concrete steps to support independent films when the Indian cinema is celebrating its centenary.
"When last year marked the birth centenary of Rabindra Nath Tagore, every state created a special stage for his works. So, when Indian cinema is celebrating its 100 years at least we indie filmmakers should also get our due credit. We should create special theatres for screening these film," Onir said.

'Amu' helmer Shonali Bose feels censorship in our country is highly political.
"If our Censor Board hears word like Kashmir in a film they simply give it a A rating or if we throw light to some issue. My film explored the suppressed history of the genocidal attacks on Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 and they gave it A rating saying history should be buried not repeated. Such ratings kill our films," she said.

Filmamker Anusha Rizvi, who directed 'Peepli Live', said that the government should spend to revive such films because they are the biggest cultural exports.
"But People consider independent cinema as art films but they are commercial ones. We can't market our films as a 100-crore film does. In a year, 300 crores is being spent on reviving archival material and if they spend one third of it on us, it will be a great help," she added.

Onir said they have met Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and given a list of 60 theatres across India where their films can be screened.
Bose said that Multiplexes, which were given tax benefit to promote small budget films, have not helped independent cinema as such filmmakers never get better show timings and screens.
High ticket prices for small budget films, inadequate number of shows and odd show timings further destroy the possibility of independent cinema to have any proper chance at being viewed.
The petition has been signed by 62 film personalities like Oscar-award-winner Resul Pookutty, Ashwin Kumar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Mahesh Bhatt, Juhi Chawla and Shabana Azmi among many others.