Cinema and Films

The Patil Committee, 1949

Shabbir Chunawalla

To streamline the film industry, a committee was constituted only two years after India got independence. It was headed by former Mumbai mayor SK Patil. One of its five members was V. Shantaram.

In 1951, the Committee made several recommendations. It proposed a new Film Finance Corporation and an Institute of Film Technique. A year later, the country’s first international film festival films from abroad. In the years, that followed, many institutions such as Children’s Film Institute (1955), Film Finance Corporation and Film Institute of India (1960) and National Film Archive of India (1964) were set up to allow making and watching of movies with nation building.

Music Rights

Shabbir Chunawalla

There are up to four different agencies which need to be paid for performing rights. These agencies are Phonographic Performance Ltd. (PPL) India, Novex Communications, Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) and the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA). PPL and Novex, between them, have the rights to more than a million songs. They file injunctions in various courts against clubs and hotels. PPL, Novex and IPRS get restraining orders from various high courts when music is played without obtaining proper licences.

PPL has more than 340 labels on board. Novex has licensing rights for the catalogues of Zee Music, YRF, Eros and Tips. IPRS is authorised under Section 33 of the Copyright Act to collect licensing fees for public music performances from organisers. ISRA charges royalty from organisers for singers.

Multiple players make playing music costly. Their rate cards vary from as low as Rs.5000 for a non-ticketed event to as high as Rs.3 lac. Usually, venues pay for the music rights. In a party, who has the time to check whether the DJ has the rights to play the requested songs?

Mumbai-based PPL has approached the Bombay High Court to persuade different hotels to seek licenses. The process of getting licenses is made easier — it is online. PPL has entered into reciprocal agreements with its counterparts abroad.

Superman : New Man of Steel

Shabbir Chunawalla

The previous Superman was Clark Kent. The new Superman is the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Jonathan Kent is the new Superman. Jonathan is different from his father in several ways. One such aspect is his same-sex relationship with Jay Nakamura, a budding journalist.

In the new series, Jonathan ( Jon) has combated wild fires by climate change. He thwarts a school shooting. He protests against the deportation of refugees in Metropolis. Thus new superman is busy fighting new fights — all real world problems. Jay is there to care for the Man of Steel.

Superman coming out of the closet is the most notable moment. The publisher makes him bisexual.

Some may feel Marvel and DC have ruined their characters to please the audience. Yet many welcome their queer superheroes.

By the way, Superman is not the first LGBTQ hero but he is the most recognisable. Batman’s side-kick Robin has recently acknowledged romantic feelings for a male friend. A new Aquaman comic features a gay back man who is positioned to become the title hero. Catwoman Selina Kyle was confirmed as bisexual in 2015. Marvel has announced in March 2021 its first gay Captain America. Yet Superman’s new version counts for something — just in terms of visibility.

Film Censorship

Shabbir Chunawalla

The I&B Ministry proposes to amend the Cinematograph Act. It proposes age-based certification. It is a popular demand raised by the film industry. It aims at curbing the menace of piracy.

It is proposed that sweeping censorship powers be arrogated to government through amendment of the provisions on the government’s revisionary remit.

The HC of Karnataka has placed limits on the government directly exercising revisional powers (in KM Shankarappa). The Centre cannot exercise revisionary powers for films already certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. (CBC). This judgment was later upheld by SC.

To overcome this, certain amendments are proposed to the Cinematograph Act. These enable the government to direct the CBFC chair to review a certification. It quotes the possibilities of complaints of violation of Section 5B post-certification. Here revisionary powers are called for. Sec 5B is equivalent to article 19 (2) of the constitution that places reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. The complaints could emerge from mob, and entertaining these could result into censorship by the mob.

Under Section 5E of the existing Act, the government has already the power to revoke or suspend the certification of a film.

The tribunal reforms ordinance in April 21 has closed down the appelate authority for film certification. Thus film makers have to approach the HCs to change the decision of the CBFC.

Ideological differences could result in using the direct censorship by the Centre. This is the danger.

Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) Abolished

Shabbir Chunawalla

The Centre promulgated The Tribunal Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Services) Ordinance, 2021. It has done away with the appellate authorities under nine acts, and has vested the high courts with the appellate powers. The Film Certificate Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) has been removed. It was established in 1983 under the Cinematograph Act. It was a statutory body constituted to hear appeals of filmmakers aggrieved by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) order.

FCAT was a very fast and economical mechanism. In contrast, high courts are already overburdened and have little time. FCAT arranged screening speedily for the aggrieved filmmakers. It could focus on repeated screenings of the disputed material if necessary. It also took into consideration similar past films. It was being fair to the film makers.

The government treats it as a cost reducing exercise. Here the public at large is not a direct litigant. As it is, very few films go in the FCAT. In the last two-three years, only 0.2 per cent films were taken to FCAT. If CBFC works efficiently and pragmatically, there is hardly any need to have a tribunal.

First Movie Completed 125 Years

Shabbir Chunawalla

The world’s first movie clip completed 125 years on Monday, 28th December, 2020. On 28th December, 1895, the Lumiere brothers of France presented the clip in a Paris-based cafe.

The projection became very popular in Paris, and they had to arrange 20 shows in a day in the cafe. Considering the popularity of the movie, the first silent movie of one and a half minutes was made — it was the Arrival of the Train. It was released in January, 1896. On 7th July, 1896 the first show of Lumiere brothers was arranged in Hotel Watson, Mumbai. Silent movies continued between 1895-1927, a period of 32 years.

Short Films

Shabbir Chunawalla

Even during lockdown due to pandemic when theatres were closed and film shootings were stopped, there was no constraint on making short duration films to tell stories. These films are easier to make. The consumption of short films have gone up. These are made professionally these days. They earn revenues and profits. Short films are very much in demand to feed the OTT channels. They look out for fresh content to satisfy the need of the Indian audience.

Short films have different economics. There are small crews, indoor shooting and lower cost of production. They are good snackable content. Viewers do not have to invest much time to match them. To begin with they had a budget of 1 lac. Today, the budget has reached Rs. 2.5-3 lac. It is a learning experience for the aspiring full-length film makers. These establish the credentials of the makers and actors who can approach mainstream actors and crew for their full-length feature films.

Marathi Cinema

Shabbir Chunawalla

Marathi film industry is experiencing a period of  transition. In 2016, a film called Sairat was released in 400 plus theatres and got revenues touching Rs.80-90 crore . This year (2017), Kasav has won the national award, but has not yet been released.

The production of Marathi Films has gone up. However, the ratio of films passed by the censors and then released in the theaters is interesting. Of the censored films, few get released. In 2005, there were 58 censored films, of which only 13 could be theatrically released. In 2016, the ratio has improved. Of the 115 censored films, 85 have been released. In the last 11 years, as many as 1151 films have been censored. Out of these 687 have been released in theatres. It comes to 60 per cent.

Natsamrat in 2016 attained revenues of Rs.40 crore, and Sairat overtook it. In 2016, all Marathi films togethter collected Rs. 161 crore.

The digitisation started in 2006-07 is one important event for the release of movies. It facilitates distribution. However, it must be backed up by marketing to bring the audience to the theatres. Zee Group realised this and plunged into Marathi film production in 2007. Zee employed the twin technique of wider distribution and effective marketing for film ranging from Sade Made Teen to Sairat.

Of the box office collections, the producers share is 40 per cent. Between 2005 and 2016, a period of 11 years, the box office collection of all Marathi films stands at Rs. 669.66 crore. Of this the income flowed to producers was Rs.265.12 crore. The total production cost was Rs.867.85 crore. The overall cost in the last 11 years for Marathi film industry was Rs.602.73 crore. It is a loss of 69 per cent as an industry.

Last year (2016), as many as 85 films were released. The major contributing factor is subsidy for the Marathi films. To get the subsidy, the film must be released. There is a long queue for getting the subsidy. The cinema made in 2015 are under consideration now. There is a committee to scrutinise films for subsidy. The committee classifies the films in A, B and C categories. A category movies get Rs. 40 lac, B Rs 30 lac, and C Rs. 0 lac.

There is a scheme for returning the taxes collected. The average cost of production of a Marathi film is Rs. 2 crore, without foreign shooting and special effects. The publicity and distribution cost is Rs. 1.25 to Rs. 1.5 crore.

The total cost can be recovered if the box office collection touches Rs. 7 crore. If the average ticket rate is Rs.100, minimum 7 lac people must watch the movie. To bring seven lac people to the theatres, your marketing message must reach 30 lac people. There are competing factors, such as marriage season, cricket, rains, big budget Hindi cinema etc.

Prop Shops from India

Shabbir Chunawalla

Films and shows such as Game of Thrones, Gladiator and Troy may belong to a previous era, but they owe their look and feel to prop shops in Meerut and Dehradun. Lord of Battles is a Dehradun-based manufacturer and exporter of period props who has supplied to films and shows like Game of Thrones and Assassin’s Creed. Rangarsons is the prop shop owned by Manjot Rana. Lord of Battles has more than 3000 items such as chainmails, plate armours, leather armours, medieval  costumes, helmets, shields, axes, camping kits, horns and bone products. Their research throws up intricate details of ancient weaponry. These companies supply products abroad, and do not retail in India. India tops the list of companies supplying period props and China is a distant second.

PVR : Vkaao

Shabbir Chunawalla

PVR Vkaoo is a movie-on-demand service by a multiplex chain. It works on a simple model.There is a library of films. Pick up a film, and select the time slot and a PVR theatre of choice. You must assure a buy of 50 seats, or the same number of viewers. There will be no premium pricing. The prevailing rates of the day or time are to be paid. If the minimum threshold is not met, the money is refunded. You can put the picture on BookMyShow. Corporates, large kitty groups, organisations and communities are the audience. Revenues are shared between exhibitor and distributor, It is also a platform for independent film-makers. Vkaao competes with OTT players such as Netflix. and Amazon Prime. It is necessary to create awareness about the concept.