On June 15, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and deputy CM Pawan Kalyan would be meeting a committee of leading Telugu film producers, to discuss the issues faced by film industry and paving way forward for better infrastructure. However, ahead of the meeting, producer Natti Kumar penned an open writer to AP CM and deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, requesting for better representation of small film producers and a suitable addressal of their issues.
Natti Kumar penned in his note, “Cinematography Ministry directly invited only some big film makers from the industry and 52 people to the Sunday meeting. It is unfortunate that there is no representation for the producers of small films except for big actors and filmmakers.”
Natti Kumar went on to elaborate various issues faced by small film producers, which need to be addressed in the forthcoming meeting. He requested that 35 percent of the film shoots must be done in Andhra Pradesh, in order to improve employment rate and infrastructure in the state. He added, “The film industry gets 68 percent of the revenue from AP, while 32 percent is received from the Nizam. As a person from AP, I am writing this petition to you and bringing it to your attention.”
Natti Kumar’s other demand included a mandatory allocation of afternoon shows at cinema theatres for smaller films that are released in less than 175 screens, and a price cap of Rs 75 for 20 percent of the seating capacity in theatres, including multiplexes. “It is known to everyone that out of 200 films produced in the industry every year, 150 of them are small films. Many technicians, artists and workers earn their living based on short films, but the problems of small film producers remain the same,” His statement read.
