Exhibitors to call off the strike ?

After four days of downing shutters, there are reports that 5,000-odd exhibitors are all set to call off their strike from Monday evening, since the talks between 25-member Joint Action Committee and Digital Service Providers are progressing in the right manner. “The purpose of highlighting the hegemony and exploitation of Digital Service Providers through this strike has been served.

As governments of the five states and movie buffs across the South got an opporutnity to know how Digital Service Providers are fleecing the producer, distributor and exhibitor for the last five years.

In fact, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments took strong notice of this exploitation and are offering all kinds of support to end this menace,” says producer C N Rao who claims that Digial Service Providers will cut charges one way or other to end this impasse.

“They are left with limited choice and unity of 5000-odd theatres has baffled them,” says producer N Padmini. However, there were rumours that exhibitors who were losing Rs 30 to 50k per day were having second thoughts about the shut down.

“It is true that some theatres in Tamil Nadu and a few theatres in Kadapa and other places didn’t join the strike and were screening shows,” admits N Padmini, who feels that overall shut down has been fruitful.

“You can tackle an evil force outside the industry, but unfortunately, we have a few black sheep amongst us, who are supporting digital service providers and trying to break this impasse to continue looting the producer, distributor and exhibitor for many more years,” she adds . According to a JAC member and exhibitor, Rs 4.5 crore is lost on 1500- odd theatres in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in a week.

“It is true that each exhibitor is losing Rs 30 to 50k per day, depending upon the location of the theatre. Digital service providers are willing to cut charges and bound to heed to the demands of JAC sooner than later,” he adds.

Elaboraing further he said, “In our meeting on last Saturday, Digital Service providers agreed to introduce Rs 21,000 EPS charges for life, in place of Rs 13,000, Rs 9,000 and 6,000 collected each week from each theatre and also mulling to cut down downloading charges from Rs 11,800 per week by another 20%, to provide some relief to producers and distributors.

Actually, exhibitors have lot of issues with Digital Service Providers, but we want to address the woes of producers and distributors in the first few rounds of our meetings,” concludes JAC member.

Nevertheless, Digital Service Providers seem to have felt the pinch and are willing to offer few more sops to re-start screening of films in 5,000 theatres.

“Shut down was more of a necessity than choice and producers, exhibitors and distributors’ unity was also established. With support from state governments and alternative projection systems in place, DSP have come down on their knees,”
says producer Radha Rajeswari with a glint of pride.