Plea to transfer FilmCensorship to State

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's recent plea to the Union Government to transfer the authority to censor films from the Union List to the State List, was stressed by the Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council general meeting in Chennai on Dec.17 under the president of Mr Rama Narayanan.

Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Mr Rama Narayanan said film censorship under the State's control would ensure that the films certified reflected Tamil culture and social sensitivities.

Mr Karunanidhi had made the demand to transfer the subject of film censorship to the State at a recent function.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting was Film Chamber president K.R.J.. Kaja Maideen, Sivasakthi Pandian, K.S. Srinivasan, Anbalaya Prabhakaran,, Azhagan and Tamizhmani also attended the meeting.

Many resolutions including one thanking the Chief Minister for extending several concessions to the film industry helping its growth, notably the exemption from entertainment tax for movies with Tamil names.

In a resolution, the meeting appealed to the State Government to fix rates of admission tickets for theatres so that the poor can see good Tamil films in theatres. It was pointed out that theatres had hiked the admission rates to as high as Rs.100 and even more. Because of the high rates, the poor people could not afford to see films in theatres. Without the patronage of poor people, theatres could not sustain themselves. the resolution said.

Another resolution sought to provide a monthly ex-gratia of Rs. 2,000 to former producers above the age of 60.

Mr Rama Narayanan said the could would step in and settle only disputes involving for which there are agreements signed by producers, actors, actresses, directors and technicians. The council would not be concerned with disputes without such agreements.

He said the meeting had requested that 6,000 sq.ft of space be allotted to the Film Producers Council in the Film Chamber building.

The issue of withdrawing or restricting the facility of providing caravan vans for actors and actresses during shootings was also discussed at the meeting.

Producer-members have been pressing the council for some time that economy measures be initiated to check rising costs of production. The demand was placed before president, Mr Rama Narayanan, last month and he held consultations with the office-bearers of the Nadigar Sangam also in this regard..

Of late, Bollywood actresses are increasingly featured in Tamil films and they need to be provided with accommodation in Five-Star hotels, caravans (with rest room, bedroom, kitchen, toilet, etc.) and other comforts which cost the producers heavily. Producers have decided not to provide these facilities at their cost. After discussions, the producers council and the Nadigar Sangam office-bearers have agreed that it was not necessary to provide caravans by producers, and actors and actresses may have caravans at their cost. It was also agreed that provision of star hotel accommodation and other luxuries be restricted. The Nadigar Sangam office-bearers also placed their requirements before the Council office-bearers.

Mr Rama Narayanan told the mediapersons that the Council and the Nadigar Sangam would further examine these issues and announce their decision soon. .