Screen Talk: Theatres set to defy ban on dubbed films in AP

The row over the ban on dubbed films is likely to see a filmy twist with exhibitors (theatre owners) in the state resenting the ‘big brotherly attitude’ of the Telugu Film Producers Council and gearing up to defy the ban.

Exhibitors (theatre owners) in the state have made it clear that they will not honour the ban and will continue to screen dubbed movies.

An emergency general body meeting of the Hyderabad State Film Chamber of Commerce convened on Friday decided to oppose the ban. If the Telugu Film Producers Council had its way then hundreds of theatres, especially in the districts may have to close down.

“We will not allow this,” said K Murali Mohan, secretary of the Hyderabad State Film Chamber of Commerce. There are nearly 700 theatres in the ‘Nizam circuit’ comprising the Telangana districts. These theatres, he said, would continue to screen dubbed films.

It is not just the Hyderabad State Film Chamber of Commerce which is refusing to recognise the ban, exhibitors all over the state will defy it. In fact, the AP State Film Chamber of Commerce, the body under which exhibitors, distributors, producers and directors come, too is said to be opposed to the idea of a ban.

The producers, however, broke away from the chamber on the issue and announced the ban under the banner of the existing Telugu Film Producers Council.

“It is producers who will be at a loss if they impose a ban on dubbed films,” said Mutyala Ramesh, secretary, A P State Film Chamber of Commerce. “Our producers should stop making films that are like television serials and concentrate on quality films to capture audiences. When dubbed films are of a better quality, we cannot deprive audiences the right to watch them,” he told media.