Guwahati, Oct 31 (PTI) Film personalities from homeand abroad today agreed that government support is a must tosafeguard and promote regional movies.
From veteran Assamese film producer Shankar Lal Goenkato Latvian producer Aija Berzina, speakers at a discussion onregional cinema were of the opinion that government shouldinvest in films for the sake of good movies.
"It is a very sad condition. The government shouldcome forward. You should give subsidy to good regional cinema.
Otherwise, it will not survive," Goenka said here.
"The government is earning huge money from theindustry in the form of taxes and other means. It is theirduty to reinvest it now," Goenka said at the discussion heldat the ongoing Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF).
Prolonged socio-politico agitation since late 70s havesnatched away the golden era of Assamese cinema, he said.
"Many halls downed shutters. Profits became loss.
Investment became smaller. So, gradually the quality of cinemastarted to fall and people stopped watching Assamese films.
Now, some good movies are being made. We should support them,"he said.
There should be at least one theatre in Guwahati,where only Assamese films would be shown all the 52 weeks ofthe years irrespective of profit and loss, he said.
Latvian film producer Aija Berzina lamented that ithas become a global phenomena that good films are not doingwell commercially, and bad ones are successful in Box Office.
"In my country, successful films are stupid sexcomedies. So, we have to think about it. If we make goodfilms, we have to travel around the world with it," she said.
Producer-actor Shahnaab Alam stressed on finding freshmarket for regional films.
"The market of Assamese films cannot be only withinthe geographical boundaries of the state. I am sure, there arepeople outside Assam and they want to watch Assamese films. Wejust have to find out ways to reach them," Alam said.
Government support is necessary, he said adding theunavoidable pre-condition for a film to succeed is quality.
Assam-based filmmaker Bobby Sarma Baruah said there isno environment, especially for women, to make good films inthe state due to lack of guidance and platform to show thefinal products.
Her comments were, however, objected by the gatheringsaying good movies will always find its way to the audience.
G Prabha, director of the Sanskrit film 'Ishti', saidthe term regional cinema creates a boundary and kills theuniversality of a film.
"The term is only for production location. Theregional casteism should go. Assamese films should go toKerala also. Otherwise, it will not progress," he added. PTITRNN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.
