Under severe flak from various quarters for its move to make it mandatory on the multiplex cinema owners to screen Marathi films during prime 6 pm-9 pm slot, the BJP-led saffron alliance Government on Thursday relax its norms and asks the cinema hall owners to show Marathi movies between 12 noon and 9 pm.
The State Government’s climb down came after a delegation of multiplex cinema owners and Marathi filmmakers met Maharashtra Culture Minister Vinod Tawde, who had on Tuesday announced that his Government would make it mandatory on multiplexes to screen Marathi films at prime slots. As per the understanding reached between Tawde and the film delegation that met him, Marathi films would be screened on any one screen in multiplexes any time between 12 pm and 9 pm, depending on the demand of the producer to the exhibitor.
Talking to mediapersons outside the Vidhan Bhavan, Tawde said: “Though the 6 pm- 9 pm prime slot will continue to be a priority, we have decided at the meeting that if a film producer demands another slot after 12 noon, he will be given it”.
Tawde said that in the event of any dispute, the matter would be referred to a four—member committee comprising representatives of multiplexes and Marathi film producers.
“Marathi film producers had complained earlier that the multiplexes that had agreed to adhere to the State Government’s stipulation of screening 124 Marathi films a year, were showing them at odd timings, mostly in early morning slots,” the Minister said.