Digital service providers play tricky games, producers’ wary

With 5,000 theatres in five southern states including 1,600 theatres in TS and AP are set to shut down from March 2, digital service providers have reportedly agreed to cut the rates to avoid a big showdown with producers, distributors and exhibitors and resolve the issue amicably. 

“Actually, digital service providers are playing tricky games and changing their tune in each state. They agree to 15% cut for Telugu producers and exhibitors, but when they participate in meetings in Tamil Nadu and Bangalore, they are offering 10% and 9% cut respectively, which shows their inconsistency and lack of transparency,” rues M Venkateswara Rao, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce. Even though, members of Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam film industries formed a Joint Action Committee to negotiate with Digital Service Providers,  it is not making much headway. 

“A few top film producers are backing these digital service providers, which is unnecessarily extending the stalemate. They should realise that these handful of Telugu film bigwigs can’t help them too long, since the whole Southern film industry is against their hegemony and bound to cut digital service providers to size,” adds M Venkateswar Rao. 

Actually, Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce took the lead in opposing this exploitation and sought the support of Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. With  support from producers, distributors and exhibitors who are demanding a big cut in the Rs 11,800 weekly processing fee, reduction of 20-minutes of nagging advertisements in theatres and much more. “Crores of  viewers across south are forced to watch amateurish retails ads without even going for a coffee break as the lights are not switched on despite intermission break. 

Earlier, we used to enjoy watching film trailers during interval breaks, but now we are bombarded with crap in the name of ad trailers and spoiling the mood of the viewer, who has bought a ticket with his hard-earned money to  watch a good movie without any disturbance, but suffering in silence for years,” laments Ramprasad, who wants more movie trailers of new films to engage viewers in theatres.    

A top Telugu producer, on condition of anonymity, says, “Majority of producers and distributors are supporting the strike of 5,000-odd exhibitors of five states, because they stand firmly united to stop the looting of digital service providers in hundreds of crores. A producer and distributor create a product and the exhibitor provides space for the projector companies to place their equipment. 

Unfortunately, projector companies are filling their pockets with exorbitant charges besides usurping all of the money earned through ads without giving a single rupee to the producer, distributor and exhibitor, which is most unfortunate and unacceptable,” concludes Rammohan.