Keep IPL games out of multiplexes

City theatres’ plan to show all the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches live on their screens may have had the cricket buffs all excited, but the idea is raising a storm.

The film industry is worried over producers staring at losses with no theatres available to screen their films even as the summer holidays begin next month.

Sources said a private company has struck deals with multiplex operators such as PVR, Inox, Fame and Cinemax, besides several single screen theatres to screen T20 games.

Across 1,000 screens in Bangalore as well as other parts of Karnataka have been roped in. Multiplexes also plan to create a stadium-like atmosphere at these theatres with cheerleaders, music and IPL merchandise stalls.

Kannada Film Producers’ Association chairman KCN Chandrashekar has written a letter requesting city police commissioner Shankar M Bidari and district deputy commissioners (licensing authorities in districts) not to allow theatre screening of the matches. “If they permit screening the matches once, they will start telecasting all types of matches in future. It will ruin our film industry,” he said.

Chandrashekhar said the industry is at a risk as the trend would threaten more theatres joining the match-showing bandwagon, completely destroying the prospects of the industry to screen its films.

He said he is worried because the state government is providing tax exemptions to theatres showing live content via satellite, which is still not extended to screening films. “That’s why we are also demanding tax exemptions,” he said.

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) chairperson Jayamala told DNA: “The censor board and the Film Federation of India (FFI) are also opposing the screening of the matches in the theatres.”

KFCC represents not only Kannada industry, but film industries of other languages too. “Legally, they cannot screen cricket matches. It is a violation of copyright act and also cinematography act. Both the acts are clear that theatres should not screen uncensored content. But they are planning to screen cricket, which is live,” she said.