By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 15 Apr: At a press conference held here, today, the Uttarakhand Film, Television, and Radio Association raised questions regarding the state government’s handling of the film industry’s ‘dismal condition’. The organisation’s Central President, Pradeep Bhandari, and General Secretary, Kanta Prasad, stated that the entire industry is in crisis due to the delay in the formation of a dedicated Film Board. They noted that while the state government has indeed formulated a film policy, it is not being effectively implemented at the grassroots level. This is having a direct impact on artists, producers, and directors, who feel a sense of betrayal. The Association alleged that regional filmmakers are not receiving the 50% subsidy to which they are entitled. Furthermore, the distribution of prize money (totalling approximately Rs 50 lakhs) has been pending for the past 10 years, causing a continuous decline in the morale of the artists. They pointed out that whenever a regional film is released, major cinema halls refuse to allocate screens for them, thereby preventing these films from ever reaching the audience. The Association also alleged that the government is extending greater facilities and subsidies to external (Bollywood) films, while local artists and producers are subjected to neglect. They observed that while the film industries in states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Bihar are advancing rapidly, the industry in Uttarakhand stands on the verge of collapse.
The Association has demanded that the government constitute the Film Board as soon as possible and ensure that representatives from the film industry are included in its composition. They further demanded the immediate release of all pending subsidies and prize money. They asserted that only through the establishment of a Film Board can policies be implemented effectively and the local film industry be provided with a new direction.
Present on this occasion were Publicity Secretary Nagendra Prasad, Senior Vice President Dr Amardev Godiyal, Treasurer Pramod Belwal, Joint Secretary Nandan Singh Kandari, Advisory Convener Jaspawar Jassi, and Kamlesh Bhandari, among others.
