Debutant director Mahesh Kumar’s excitement about his recently-released film, Ayogya, which has been declared a blockbuster hit, seems to be dampening for the film is battling for ‘screen time’ in Hyderabad.
Since the recently-released Telugu and Tamil films are doing well in Hyderabad, exhibitors are not interested in releasing Kannada films."Yashas Nag, the distributor, who has taken the rights for the film for other regions, claims that neither the single screens nor multiplexes are ready to screen Ayogya," says Mahesh, adding that this is the fate of all Sandalwood films in the neighbourhood region.
“The distributor said that only if they are no good Telugu films will they consider screening Kannada one. Even representatives at the Hyderabad Film Chamber have no say in this matter,” he adds.
On the other hand, the director rues that Telugu films not only get a ‘warm welcome’ in Karnataka, but also earn big bucks."We will be holding a protest in front of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce today and take their help to sort out the issue," he says. The film made under Crystal Park Cinemas stars Sathish Ninasam-and Rachita Ram