All single-screen theatres across greater Mumbai will have to screen at least 44 shows of Marathi films every year, the Bombay high court ruled on Tuesday.
“We cannot let the regional film industry be finished,” a division bench of justice FI Rebello and justice RV More said. It directed single-screen theatre owners that at least for four weeks every year, they will have to screen a minimum of 11 shows of Marathi films per week, between 12 noon and 9pm.
The cinema owners’ association moved court, challenging a March 1968 government resolution, which made it mandatory for theatre owners to screen a minimum of 112 shows a year.
“We do not want to finish the Marathi film industry. Prima facie, in our opinion, there is power to the state government to pass such an order. The only issue is (that) in some areas of the state, where there is no audience for regional films, members of the petitioner’s association will be burdened to run the shows and make losses. So, the government order needs to be partly stayed,” the judges said.
The court also observed: “…Bollywood has taken over the cinema (houses). If such steps (of compelling cinema owners to screen a certain number of shows of Marathi films) are not taken, the regional film industry will be finished.”
Representing the petitioners, advocate Vineet Naik said: “Nowadays, no film runs beyond 15 days. There is no audience for Marathi films, at least in Greater Mumbai.” He argued that the order passed by the state was unreasonable.
But the HC directed the petitioners to submit an undertaking to the government about complying with the court’s directive.
