Stop unnecessary expenses for BIFFES, filmmakers tell CM B S Yediyurappa

Ten leading filmmakers have written a letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa seeking his intervention to stop ‘unnecessary expenses’ for the 13th edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) and prevent the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) from involving an event management group to organise the gala event.

The government has allocated Rs 7 crore for the 13th Biffes between March 24 and 31.

The letter was written on March 9, three days after Congress MLC Mohan Kondajji’s letter to chief secretary P Ravi Kumar, to stop involving DNA company for organising the event.

Kondajji wrote a letter to Yediyurappa on February 11, requesting him to stop spending Rs 2 crore for inauguration and valedictory, considering the current economic status.

In the letter, Girish Kasaravalli, P Sheshadri, Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar, B Suresh, Kavitha Lankesh, Ramesh Bhat, among others, stated that about Rs 3 crore was being spent for the inauguration and valedictory, which did not serve any purpose.

Instead, the amount could be used to organise mini film festivals in other cities. Efforts to involve an outsourced agency should be stopped to prevent ‘misuse of public money,’ it said.

“In the past, about Rs 2 crore was given to Kareena Kapoor and Jaya Bachchan, the guests at the inauguration and valedictory as remuneration,” Sheshadri told DH.

Sunil Puranik, chairman, KCA, rubbished such reports as false.

“Misleading information is spread in the media. We haven’t involved any event management group. We have not issued any work order. We have invited tenders for various works strictly as per guidelines,” he clarified.

“KCA will organise the 13th Biffes,” he stressed.

Puranik justified the move to spend money on inauguration and valedictory.

“Famous personalities and over 250 artistes participate. We should organise as per international standards. How can we have shown without inauguration and valedictory?” he sought to know.

“We are yet to decide on how much to allocate for these two events. Technically, it is impossible to divert the funds to organise mini film festivals in other cities. Only the chief minister can approve it,” he explained.

Puranik expressed displeasure that none of the filmmakers contacted the KCA seeking clarification.