Marathi filmmakers demand better exhibition facilities

Panaji, Nov 30: Marathi cinema, which has long lived in the shadow of their Bollywood counterpart is demanding better exhibition facilites for their films in Maharashtra.

Addressing a press conference here, director of 'Maaybaap' Gajendra Ahire producer-actress Aditi Deshpande and actor Sandeep Kulkarni said Marathi films want better revenue and the state government should step in to make atleast one screen mandatory for screening of Marathi films.

Their film ''Maaybaap'' depicting the tale of parents trying to grapple with the loss of their only son in the Mumbai bomb blasts, was premiered at the 37th IFFI here on Monday evening.

''We are talking to different persons to make a collective representation to the government on this issue. In Mumbai, people have not seen 'Dombivali Fast' which has received box office success as well as critical acclaim in the rest of the state,'' said Kulkarni who was the lead actor of ''Dombivali Fast.'' The film has travelled to various international film festivals in the last one year.

Ahire said recent Marathi films have universal themes. ''It is going beyond the regional language audience because of the different subjects being handled,'' he said and added that Marathi films were finding a platform for screening at various International Film Festivals.

Replying to the response he got after the first screening at IFFI, Gajendra said he was overwhelmed that audience gave the film a standing ovation. ''People identified with the tragedy faced by the protagonists. Some of them asked whether the story was a real life incident. When I said no, I was told that incidents which were depicted in the film had actually happened with many of the bomb blast victims and survivors,'' he added.

Gajendra said much is spoken and written about the resilience and strength of Mumbai to spring back after every tragedy as the city has suffered a series of bomb blasts since 1993. ''An idea just struck me about the lives of the victims and their families and the story of Maaybaap came about that every cloud has a silver lining,'' he added.

He said Marathi films were carving a niche of their own and gradually coming out the shadow of Bollywood as both are based in Mumbai. ''It is a myth that Hindi films do better than Marathi movies at the box office. Films like 'Shaadi No 1' and '36, China Town' were pulled out after a week in many theatres and my Marathi movies like 'Sari Var Sari' and 'Dombivali Fast' were screened,'' he added.

Aditi Deshpande, the producer and lead actress, said the film will release on December 29. According to her, Marathi producers were willing to increase their budget of making movies but are only concerned about revenue earning. ''We consider marketing our movies as an expense when it should be taken as an investment. But things are slowly changing for the good,'' she added.

Aditi said her first production ''Not only Mrs Raut'' was made at a budget of Rs 11 lakh. ''I had to work hard to sell the movie. But, soon after the news of my latest movie 'Maaybaap' being complete was out in the trade papers, I got offers from distributors and channels for picking up the distribution and satellite rights of my unreleased film. It is a positive sign for Marathi cinema,'' she added.

The budget of ''Maaybaap' is Rs 50 lakh. ''People do not make films now just to avail the state government incentive of Rs 30 lakh,'' she said and added that filmmakers like her do not limit their budget only to the state government incentive.

Replying to a question on the controversy where the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) did not hold a presentation ceremony of ''Maaybaap'' before the film screening began, Aditi said she had lodged a protest with the DFF and the organisers had apologised for their act. ''We have decided to forget the incident and concentrate on promoting our movie,'' she added.

Sandeep Kulkarni said, ''it is not only us. But, I heard an Israeli director who had come all the way to participate in the festival was not called on stage when the film was being screened.

There is a culture to introduce the film and the director before every screening at the film festivals.'' He admitted that Bollywood stars and films are more popular, but felt that the popularity should not be at the cost of other artistes and films.

UNI