Priyadharshini
Preview
Theatre,
situated
in
the
Badami
House,
a
huge
building
opposite
to
the
Bangalore
Corporation,
was
once
the
most
sought-after
preview
theatre
for
screening
premier
shows
and
special
shows
for
VIP"s.
Such
was
the
busy
schedule
of
this
prestigious
preview
theatre
that
the
Kannada
film
producers
had
to
wait
for
a
long
time
to
get
a
date
for
their
premiere
shows.
Upto
the
mid-
nineties,
the
charges
were
also
reasonable
(Rs.
260
per
preview
show)
and
the
film
industry
personalities
found
it
convenient
to
go
to
the
theatre
and
watch
special
shows.
But
this
prestigious
theatre
has
now
lost
out
in
the
race
to
big,
privately
owned
preview
theatres
by
the
likes
of
G.M.
Rejoyz
and
Arjun
Arts,
and
upkeep
by
the
actor-
politician
Kumar
Bangarappa.
They
not
only
possess
state-
of-
the-
art
equipment,
but
also
have
a
perfect
ambience
and
comfortable
settings,
thus
offering
better
services.
The
preview
charges
in
the
Priyadharshini
Theatre
have
also
increased
to
Rs.
2668
from
1-4-2007.
The
existing
rate
is
Rs.
2,320.
The
cost
has
been
hiked
for
the
Kannada
film
producers
who
send
their
films
for
the
state
awards
and
the
subsidy.
The
existing
charges
for
subsidy
and
for
state
award
is
Rs.5
,770/-
But
from
next
April,
it
will
be
Rs.
6,
636.
The
reasons
for
the
annual
hike
in
the
preview
show
rates
can
be
attributed
to
the
following
developments.
From
1-4-1996
onwards,
the
state
government
has
revised
the
subsidy
amount
to
Rs.10
lacs
for
all
the
films
selected
by
a
special
jury
committee.
In
the
year
1998-99
when
late
B.V.
Karanth
was
heading
the
jury,
the
preview
charges
were
Rs.
400
and
the
jury
committee
members
were
paid
the
sitting
fees
of
Rs.
200.
There
were
murmurs
of
protest
from
some
jury
members
who
had
complained
that
the
sitting
fee
amount
paid
to
them
is
not
sufficient
and
it
should
be
hiked.
Then
the
Department
of
Information
wrote
a
letter
to
the
government
highlighting
the
request
of
some
of
the
jury
members,
and
even
advised
the
government
to
increase
the
sitting
fee
to
Rs.
500
per
day.
The
government
officials,
after
going
through
this
note,
then
made
some
changes
in
the
cost
of
preview
shows.
Immediately,
the
department
increased
the
preview
theater
price
to
Rs.
1,000/-
and
for
applying
for
awards,
the
amount
was
fixed
at
Rs.
2,500/-.
The
sitting
fee
for
viewing
the
films
was
raised
to
Rs.
500.
But
when
the
orders
came,
there
was
another
rider;
the
government
had
also
advised
that
a
hike
of
fifteen
percent
has
to
be
effected
every
year
thereafter!
From
then
on,
every
year
there
is
a
15%
hike
in
the
cost
for
preview
shows
for
all
the
films,
including
those,
which
are
shown
for
getting
the
subsidy,
or
while
applying
for
State
awards.
Many
producers
of
the
Kannada
film
industry
have
now
objected
to
this
annual
increase
of
the
preview
show
rate.
The
state
information
department
considered
these
protests
and
then
wrote
two
letters
to
the
Government.
But
both
times,
the
finance
department
did
not
accept
the
proposal
of
the
information
department.
The
preview
theatre
in
the
Badami
house
has
a
seating
capacity
of
150.
An
advantage
in
watching
a
film
at
Badami
house
is
that
it
has
got
ARC
projection.
The
light
on
the
screen
is
uniform,
and
the
DTS
is
good.
The
major
problem
is
with
vehicle
parking,
and
the
toilet
maintenance
is
the
worst,
to
say
the
least.
Availability
of
potable
and
clean
water
has
always
been
a
problem.
Maintenance
has
not
been
good.
But
the
preview
theaters
at
G.M.
Rejoyz
or
at
Arjun
arts,
which
charge
Rs.
3000
per
preview
show,
have
enough
parking
space,
a
nice
ambience,
and
the
DTS
sound
quality
is
also
very
good.
Nearly
70
-
80
Kannada
movies
get
censored.
Earlier,
the
censor
board
members
saw
the
films
at
Badami
house.
Later
they
shifted
to
G.M.
Rejoyz.
Now
they
watch
the
films
at
Arjun
Arts
owned
by
MLA
Kumara
Bangarappa!
In
1995
when
the
theater
rent
was
Rs.
260,
there
was
a
lot
of
demand
for
it
since
there
were
no
other
proper
preview
theaters
in
Bangalore.
Film
producers
used
to
get
recommendations
from
the
ministers
to
screen
their
films
there.
But
times
have
changed
now!
Assume
that
a
maximum
of
10
units
of
power
is
consumed
for
screening
a
full-
length
film.
But
if
there
is
a
15%
hike
every
year,
it
means
that
in
a
few
years,
the
rent
will
go
up
to
Rs
5,000!
Now
approximately
70
movies
will
go
and
apply
for
100%,
about
60
movies
will
be
screened
during
the
selection
for
state
award,
and
about
50
movies
will
be
screened
while
selecting
for
subsidy.
While
selecting
for
the
state
award
or
for
subsidy,
3
films
will
be
screened
per
day!
This
means
that
most
of
the
time
Priyadharshini
Theater
will
not
be
working!
When
the
government
is
spending
crores
of
rupees
for
helping
the
Kannada
film
industry,
what
is
the
need
for
hiking
the
preview
show
cost
by
15%
every
year?