Filmmaker writes to CM asking for more theatres to screen Marathi films

National Award winning film Anumati���������s producer Neelesh Navlakha wrote to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, last week, requesting the government to ensure that there are more screens for Marathi films.
Anumatidirected by Gajendra Ahire was screened at various national as well as international film festivals where it went on to win multiple awards.In spite of all the hype surrounding it, finding enough number of screens for its release turned out to be a problem. ���������We got only 60 screens or so for the release with barely one show per screen daily. It is really sad that despite making a mark at film festivals globally we had to struggle for screens. Another film of mine, that received rave reviews at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, too faced a similar fate,��������� said Navlakha.
In his letter to the CM, Navlakha has requested for new policies that will bring audiences to theatres instead of just subsidies provided to Marathi cinema.
Filmmaker Shivaji Lotan Patil���������s Dhag, which won three National awards, is also facing a similar problem. ���������We are finding it difficult to get a suitable release date due to the lack of enough number of screens.��������� Ruing the lack of coordination in the Marathi industry he added, ���������The main reason for this problem is the lack of unity among Marathi filmmakers.
The actors and filmmakers in Bollywood stand united and one will never see Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan releasing their films on the same date. Sadly though, in the Marathi film industry we have this crab mentality where everyone is trying to pull down one another and thus we have three to four films releasing on the same day. I am confident of my film���������s success provided we get enough screens,��������� said Patil.
Ratnakar Matkari, producer for another National award winning movie, Investment said, ���������Our business is getting hampered because of too many films releasing on the same day.���������