JOIN USCrying foul whenever there has been a violation of unwritten rules of screenings by films from outside the State and withdrawing into a cocoon of silence a routine.
So much so, cocking a snook at such futile tactics of Sandalwood has become de jure with both Tollywood and Kollywood distributors. For, even before the embers of Tuesday protest over the release of Telugu film Magadheera are yet to ebb, another Anjaneyulu hit the screens on Thursday, a day earlier than Friday. A couple of theatres screening the film contacted by Deccan Herald conceded that the release was in violation of accepted practice.
Acceding that the distributor concerned should have taken prior permission of Karnataka Film Chamber, they however, defended him claiming he was new and did not know the rules of the game.
According to them, since the film hit the screens in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, it was released in Bangalore on Thursday as big ticket Puneet Rajkumar-starrer — Raj, the showman would woo away the audiences. When Deccan Herald contacted the producers association officials they threw their hands in exasperation at such violations.
Expressing helplessness they said a meeting of officials, litterateurs, film industry and others is being convened to discuss the issue threadbare as also the approach the industry should adopt in future. As per association’s demand, all non-Kannada films must be screened in the State only after seven weeks of their release in their respective states.
Film chamber sources, however, claimed they had written to the distributor against the film’s release.