Hyderabad:
As
Indian
cinema
completed
a
century,
Telugu
actor
Akkineni
Nagarjuna
said
that
all
types
of
moral
policing
on
cinema
by
the
Central
Board
of
Film
Certification
(CBFC)
should
be
stopped.
He
said
cinema
can't
be
held
accountable
for
what
is
happening
in
society.
"It's
good
to
have
a
governing
body
to
oversee
matters
in
making
of
films,
but
you
can't
blame
films
for
what
is
happening
in
society.
This
type
of
moral
policing
on
films
should
stop
right
away," Nagarjuna
told
IANS,
when
asked
about
one
thing
he
would
like
to
change
about
the
100-year-old
industry.
After
the
Dec
13,
2012,
Delhi
gang-rape
case,
many
-
including
CBFC
-
have
been
blaming
cinema
for
the
adverse
effect
on
viewers.
Also,
ethics
of
actors,
who
are
seen
smoking
on
screen,
are
being
questioned
for
having
a
bad
influence
on
the
younger
generation,
which
blindly
idolises
stars.
"It
doesn't
make
sense
to
blame
cinema
for
every
rape
and
robbery
in
the
country
because
one
should
understand
that
it's
a
medium
of
entertainment.
If
there
is
one
change
I
would
like
to
see
happen
as
we
complete
a
hundred
years
of
Indian
cinema,
then
it
has
to
be
this,"
he
said.
Nag,
as
he
is
fondly
known,
also
feels
that
a
ban
on
smoking
on
screen
is
unfair.
He
said,
"I
don't
see
what
effect
a
statutory
warning
on
screen
during
a
smoking
or
drinking
scene
will
have
on
the
audience.
I
believe
we
are
only
reminding
them
from
time
to
time
that
the
characters
are
smoking
and
drinking,
which
will
only
lead
to
an
adverse
effect."
Continue
to
read
Nagarjuna's
interview
in
slide
show.
Nagarjuna
On
Banning
Smoking
On
Screen
The
actor,
who
has
acted
in
films
like
Ninne
Pelladatha
and
Annamayya,
added,
"People
know
excessive
consumption
of
anything
is
bad
for
health.
By
imposing
a
ban
on
something,
we
are
in
a
way
provoking
them
to
do
it."
Nagarjuna:
It
Is
Time
To
Revise
Ticket
Pricing
The
53-year-old
owner
of
Annapurna
Studios
feels
it
is
time
to
revise
the
ticket
pricing
system
so
that
filmmakers
can
profit.
Nagarjuna
On
Ticket
Prices
In
Multiplexes
Nagarjuna
said,
"There
should
be
a
flexibility
on
ticket
prices
in
multiplexes.
It's
sad
that
we
pay
Rs
120-150
for
a
ticket
in
a
multiplex
in
Andhra
Pradesh.
In
a
multiplex,
a
bucket
of
popcorn
costs
Rs
120,
an
aerated
drink
is
for
Rs
100
and
even
parking
is
charged
on
a
per
hour
basis."
Nagarjuna
Nagarjuna
said,
"The
first
one
week
to
10
days'
collection
is
very
crucial
for
every
film.
If
tickets
are
so
low
priced
and
go
further
down
during
weekdays,
how
can
producers
and
distributors
make
money?"
Nagarjuna
He
added,
"In
other
countries,
tickets
are
priced
high
during
the
first
and
the
second
week
to
help
films
break
even
and
earn
more
if
the
film
is
good.
The
first
week
is
also
very
crucial
because
pirated
CDs
are
out
by
the
end
of
first
week.
The
government
can't
stop
piracy,
so
they
may
as
well
allow
us
to
have
high
ticket
prices."