Make cinema affordable for all, demand DYFI leaders

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Saturday (November 29) said cinema had become unreachable to the common man and demanded immediate and effective measures to make it affordable and accessible.

Participating in a discussion titled ‘Cinema – Piracy- Burden on Audience’, the federation’s State secretary G. Ramanna and Telugu Short Film Association president D.V. Kalinga said the common man, who is at the receiving end of ills like the rising unemployment, inflation and other day-to-day struggles, steps into a cinema theatre seeking two hours of entertainment. But the high ticket prices and the cost of snacks are unaffordable, they said.

They slammed the State government for “depriving the farmers of minimum support prices but granting permission to film-makers to raise ticket prices and make huge profits through benefit shows. They said cinema should carry a sense of responsibility towards the society and demanded strict measures to curb piracy. Arguing that piracy exists only because cinema has become inaccessible to the public, they urged the government and film industry leaders to address these issues immediately.

Attributing the increase in production costs mainly to high remuneration paid to actors, they said public had been expressing support to iBomma Ravi only because movies were not affordable and the industry remained in the hands of a few families who dominated and controlled opportunities. Small films were struggling for survival and new actors were not getting opportunities, as nepotism dominated the industry, they alleged and demanded that theatres should stop collecting parking charges and must provide basic amenities like drinking water and clean restrooms.

The federation’s State president Y. Ramu presided over the meeting while Rajesh and G. Narayana Rao from Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), short film directors Teja, Bhargav, Kiran, Vithal, Lakshman and V. Nagaraju, Sanskruthi Vedika leader G. Narayana and representatives of various other organisations participated in the event.