Kendasampige sees 100 days at theatres

Suri's Kendasampige II Ginimari Case has become the latest Kannada film to complete a 100-day-run at the theatres. It follows in the footsteps of Mr & Mrs Ramachari, Krishna-Leela, Rangitaranga and Aatagara to hit the landmark this year. But it was a tough ride for Suri as the film faced piracy and other challenges all the way. After a YouTube video leak, the film was telecast on a cable channel in Banashankari last week.Until now, pirated CDs and online video leaks were the major problem, but now cable channels, which mostly telecast films and songs without permission or paying producers any money, became a bigger danger.
Kendasampige's satellite telecast rights are not yet sold and before that a cable channel headquartered in Mumbai telecast the movie. The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) took up the issue with the Karnataka State Cable TV Operators' Association (KSCOA). A meeting was held on December 14 and KSCOA president V S Patrick Raju announced, "KFCC has strongly condemned screening of Kannada movies on our local channels. We have now agreed not to screen any new Kannada movies without any rights henceforth".
But not everyone is impressed. Tulsiram Naidu of Lahari company which holds DVD rights of many Kannada films said, "We have to tackle the issue on a bigger scale. This is a new kind of piracy. What are the producers or rights holders who have invested money on the films getting? Cable channels make money from advertisements using our content. There are 350-400 cable channels in Karnataka. If they pay for using our content, producers will be saved." Advocate MS Shyam Sundar said, "The copyright holder, in this case the producer, can file a suit for damages from the channel. The channel's properties can be attached even before the judgement."
Suri, who also produced the film, said, "We discussed the issue on how to go about it. Earlier, the film was leaked on YouTube and we got it removed. I know that next week some video parlours are screening the movie. They dare enough to even issue advertisements in local newspapers. Now this problem from cable channels. Despite all these, the film is completing 100 days. The influential and big people in the industry should join forces as it is a problem every film will faace. I will become a lone voice and cannot take on the big shots of the cable industry."