Sudden reversal for two films

 ‘Mukunda Murari’ and ‘Santhu Straight Forward’ hit the screens on October 28, 10 days days before demonetisation.

Their box office collections were good; producers expected them to become the top-grossing Kannada films of the year. But things took a sudden downturn.

K Manju, producer of ‘Santhu Straight Forward’, had expected collections of about Rs 5 crore more.

“The halls were packed and now they are empty. The whole industry is affected, and not just us,” he says.

Nanjunde Gowda, filmmaker, says producers pay in cash at the end of each day. “With not enough currency going around, shootings have come to a halt,” he said. Director Nagathahalli Chandrashekhar acknowledged the industry was affected, but said common people were suffering more.