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When Maharashtra banned beef, it tickled a fellow Malayalee’s dormant appetite for the red meat. Soon enough, he was gorging on beef fry and porotta , satisfying his palate and the desire to defy the State’s attempt to control his diet. It is a basic human response. Restrict a child and she will immediately rebel. Even a five-year-old doesn’t want to be controlled. But the Devendra Fadnavis’ government hasn’t matured yet. It wants its citizens to watch Marathi movies — whether they want to or not. By forcing multiplexes to screen only Marathi films between 6-9 pm, (now relaxed to any show during 12-9 pm),. it limited an exhibitor’s right to schedule shows based on popularity. It also restricts a customer’s choice. And it might not even help Marathi cinema, unless, of course, the government finds a way to force moviegoers into halls.
There is no denying that the Marathi film industry faces stiff competition in its own backyard. Bollywood dominates cable television, hoardings and the box office. Mumbai is a big market for English movies in the country. And despite its glorious past — India’s first full-length film Raja Harishchandra by Dadasaheb Phalke was in Marathi — the local industry has struggled. While other regional films in (notably the South) may have fared better, in Maharashtra, the story has been less prosperous. At the same time, the script has improved for Marathi cinema in recent years, thanks to Marathi television. Many recent movies from have done well and the average budget has grown up to Rs 25 crore.
What regional cinema across the country needs is exposure. Not the film festivals kind of publicity, but the mainstream one. The previous Congress-led government in the State had given incentives to multiplexes to screen Marathi movies. But that is not enough. Is there a way to market regional cinema better? As a Malayalee, it often pains me that my friends from the north can’t enjoy some gems from the Malayalam movie industry. Will subtitles in Hindi, English or other regional languages help? Surely, that might evoke more interest than removing choice.
Prince Mathews Thomas, Deputy Editor
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