Suchitra Film Society members protest against commercialising Trust

Some founding members of the Suchitra Film Society held a protest on Sunday over its expulsion from the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy Trust.

They alleged that the fundamental principals behind the institution for 50 years have been disregarded.

Founded in 1971 by a group of engineers led by H N Narahari Rao, the society formed the Trust nine years after getting a CA site from the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The Trust was later given charge of the auditorium and its properties built on the CA site.

Though members of the society and the trustees acted in sync, CSR funding by a real-estate company in 2015 led to changes in the Trust’s governing rules and removal of the society’s president from trusteeship.

Also Read | Suchitra Film Society in crisis as trust expels its members

Members have since been accusing the trustees of commercialisation. “Changes were done without discussions with the society. Members were kept in the dark. Ever since (the changes), we have been locked out of an institution we founded and nurtured for nearly 50 years,” said Vijaya, one of the founding members.

Filmmakers Girish Kasaravalli and Suresh Heblikar joined Sunday’s protest in support of the members who urged the Trust to reinstate the society’s president as a permanent trustee and allow its activities.

Vijaya said the Trust was asking for Rs 50,000 per day for screenings in the auditorium and Rs 50,000 as monthly rent for its office room. “The Trust and the society have never been commercial entities. We can’t
afford to pay so much money. This affects promotion of art among the public,” she said.

Shashidhar N, a trustee, rejected the allegations. “Rs 50,000 is a one-time contribution and the Trust sought a small sum as rent. The money is needed to pay staffers during the pandemic,” he said.

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