Multiplex-producers row hit Kannada films

It is well known that multiplex owners have stopped screening Hindi movies for their fight with Bollywood producers over revenue sharing. Now the problem seems to be spreading to Kannada film industry after two big budget Kannada movie 'Dubai Babu' and 'Taakat' stopped being screened in multiplexes following the row over revenue sharing.

The stand off between Kannada film industry and multiplexes is coming to light after PVR and INOX declined to share revenue with the producers on the basis of occupancy ratios. Kannada producers seems to be afraid of facing heavy losses in 2009 also following the tiff.

Meanwhile, Thomas D'Souza, vice president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has said that the representatives of the multiplexes are meeting the executive committee members of the KFCC today. Soon the KFCC will find a solution to the problem and will permit screening of the Kannada films in the multiplexes.

Dubai Babu producer Shylendra Babu says that he has spent nearly Rs.50 million on Dubai Babu. He fears of losing out an additional revenue that comes in the initial weeks by screening the film in the multiplexes. He feels that this will result in huge losses to him.

However, Kannada producers have faced heavy losses in the year 2008. And this set back seems to continue in 2009 also. So the multiplexes have been put under severe pressure to accept the demands of the Kannada producers.