Marathi cinema faces distribution problems

Mumbai, Dec 21: The Marathi film industry, which boasts of the legacy of movie moghul V Shantaram, continued to grapple with distribution and exhibition problems, especially in Mumbai.

Except Plaza cinema in Mumbai owned by former Mumbai Sheriff Kiran Shantaram and to some extent the dilapidated Bharatmata theatre, Marathi movies are not screened anywhere else in the city.

Even in these theatres, the screenings are held at odd timings as a result, even those, who want to see the Marathi film in theatres, are not able to do so.

Even though multiplexes are bound to screen Marathi films for four weeks in a year, the rule in being flowted, lament filmmakers.

''Marathi speaking audiences do not go to cinema halls in large numbers in the first weekend itself. As a result, the cinema hall owners, especially multiplex owners, pull out the film after a few days citing reasons of no audience,'' says director Gajendra Ahire.

Actor Sandeep Kulkarni says the move is gaining ground with the demand that one screen in every multiplex be reserved for screening of Marathi films, especially in Mumbai.

Around 50 films were released this year and only about four of them managed to fare averagely at the box office-- Mahesh Kothare's 'Shub Mangal Savadhan', Mahesh Manjrekar's 'Matichya Chuli', Kedar Shinde's 'Yanda Kartavya Aahe' and 'Maza Navra Tuzi Bayko', Gajendra Ahire's 'Divsandivas'.

Smita Talwalkar's 'Anandacha Zhaad', however, did not do well.

Chitra Palekar's 'Maati Maay' starring Nandita Das was released in Pune but it was a flop even though it earned critical acclaim in international film festivals.

'Kshan' (moment) made by Sachin Parekar was a love story which flopped domestically but the filmmaker created a record of sorts by releasing the film in 25 screens in United States and earned substantial revenue.

Similarly, 'Dombivali Fast' made by Nishikant Kamat was released at the fag end of 2005. It was made at a budget of Rs one crore. But its box office returns were not encouraging.

Kamat sold the remake rights of the film and it is being made in Hindi with the same title by Abbas Mustan and in Tamil, it will be called 'Chennai Express'.

Actress producer Aditi Deshpande, whose 'Not Only Mrs Raut' won a National Award for best regional film last year and now is ready with ''Maay Baap'' to be released shortly , admits that Marathi filmmakers need to understand that marketing of their movies and pre-release promotion is an investment and not expenditure.

Things are looking up for Marathi cinema in recent times. Films were being made on a variety of themes irrespective of box office success. Noted actor-filmmaker Ramesh Deo is in the process of making a film on ''Vasudev Balwant Phadke'', the first armed revolutionary in the freedom struggle. ''Marathi filmmakers should aim big and not mind spending on making a good product,''he says.

UNI