No Movie Shows In Theatres This Weekend As Strike Enters Day 2

Hyderabad: Many new films slated for release this weekend have suffered because of the bandh call given by the south Indian film industries from March 2 in protest against the digital service providers. The exhibitors, distributors and Digital Service Providers (DSP) have failed to reach a mutually agreeable Virtual Print Fee (VPF). In effect, the shutdown is likely to continue for two days.

All the four film industries from the South are striking against the charges collected by Digital Service Providers. The members of councils from all the four industries—Kollywood, Tollywood, Sandalwood and Mollywood—have decided not to release any new films in theatres from March 2.

Theatres across south India on Friday put out a board that reads: "As per the decision of the South Indian Film Industry Joint Action Committee (SIFIJAC), all the producers, exhibitors and distributors will jointly be taking part in a protest against the exorbitant amounts being charged by the digital service providers from March 2 and there will be no movie screenings in thatres. We request the audience co-operation in this regard."

Representatives from all the industries – Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada – and digital service providers have failed to reach a consensus even after two rounds of talks that took place in Chennai and Hyderabad. It is learnt that the digital service providers charge a one-time fee for Hollywood films and nominal fee for Bollywood movies but when it comes to movies in regional languages, they are collecting huge VFA fee from exhibitors.

The Malayalam industry has films like Prithviraj's Detroit Crossing and Mammootty's Bilal waiting to be released. The third and last film in the Dandupalya series from the Kannada industry was scheduled to hit the screens on March 2. The Kannada remake of Dhanush's Pa Paandi, starring Ambareesh, Suhaashini Maniratnam and Sruthi Hariharan is also due for release.

Interestingly both Telugu and Tamil film industries have very few releases lined up for the next two weeks, and everyone is hopeful that the issue will be resolved by the time Rangasthalam 1985 will see the light of the day (March 31).

With March usually being a lean period for the south Indian film industries, they will be looking to resolve their issues with the service providers before the summer holiday season kicks in.