rift in producers’ body takes a new twist

Over 100 producers seek ouster of the newly-formed 14-member panel that allegedly is taking unilateral decisions, affecting the prospects new releases

Hyderabad: The plot of the ongoing tinsel town drama involving producers’ council and its 14-member panel seems to be thickening by the day. The turmoil that has been brewing in the glamour villa reached a new height on Sunday with veteran filmmaker and founder-president of Telugu Film Producers’ Council Dasari Narayana Rao and many others taking up the cudgel.

He has reportedly offered his support to 100-odd producers who are seeking the ouster of the panel members from the council. The 14-member committee has been allegedly taking unilateral decisions on behalf of 800-odd producers and even restricted the promotions of new releases to only two television channels (TV 9 and NTV), much to the chagrin of Telugu producers.

Even former presidents of Telugu Film Producers’ Council including Tammareddy Bharadwaj, C Kalyan and K C Sekhar Babu are rallying behind the 100 producers and opposing the decisions of the newly-formed committee that includes producers Dil Raju, Allu Arvind, Teja, Damodar Prasad, Nallamalupi Bujji, Paruchuri Prasad, Ravi Kishore, Radhakrishna and others.

Buoyed by the support of industry bigwigs like Dasari and others, the aggrieved producers are demanding the Producers’ Guild to convene an emergency general body meeting to oust the 14 producers, who are allegedly implementing their own plans. “Already the 14-member committee’s strength has reduced to 12 members since two producers - Supriya and Radhakrishna - walked out when they realised that panel was narrow-minded and didn’t have the support of a legitimate body.

It is the fundamental right of a producer to choose which channel he wants to promote or not, according to his budgets. But this panel has spoiled our cordial relationship with the media by sidelining innumerable channels and print media,” said producer C N Rao, who belongs to the 100-member club that is seeking the panel’s ouster. When contacted, Prasanna Kumar, general secretary, Telugu Film Producers’ Council, admitted that majority of producers was against this panel and were seeking its ouster.

“It is true that more than 100 producers are seeking for an emergency general body meeting to take action against 14 producers, who have formed a private body. So we will take a decision on convening the general body meeting very soon,” Prasanna said. He added that the panel’s decision to promote films on just two channels was not binding on rest of the 780-odd producers.

It is learnt that the media is contemplating of boycotting coverage of Telugu films. Apparently, honchos of 20-odd channels and heads of print media met at a star hotel on Friday under the stewardship of producer Tammareddy Bharadwaj, who also heads channel 99TV, along with KRP Reddy of Sakshi and Choudury of Andhra Jyothi.

“Media is annoyed with T-town and resolved to boycott coverage of films. The channels, magazines and newspapers will be charging commercial rates instead of concessional rate for film advertisements,” said a source. producer Natti Kumar said the panel should be disbanded immediately for the good of the industry or the 14 producers should be suspended from the producers council, or it would spell doom to Tollywood,” he said.