Dept of Culture to interact with TS filmmakers to revive local movies

After decades of cultural imperialism and apparent discrimination by filmmakers belonging to Andhra region who ruled the roost in tinsel town, Telangana films are likely to get their own identity and dignity at last, if the State government’s latest move is anything to go by.  



It looks like the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has finally woken up to the reality and is all set to protect Telangana cinema and its distinct identity. Hinting at this, the authorities spared a day for interaction with Telangana filmmakers to chalk out a road map to showcase the unique characteristics of Telugu films and to establish the unmatched glory of Telangana culture in silver screens.



According to Mamidi Harikrishna, Director, Telangana Department of Language and Culture, the department will be hosting a debate titled ‘Telangana Cinema-Ninna, Nedu, Repu’ with over 100 Telangana filmmakers on June 5 at Ravindra Bharathi to elicit views from film fraternity and present a report to the government to take steps to revive Telangana cinema.



Another top official, Desapati Srinivas, Officer on Special Duty, Chief Minister’s Office, along with a few other officials would be interacting with filmmakers from Telangana like Allani Sridhar, N Shankar, B Narasing Rao, Sana Yadi Reddy, Prem Raj and others for six hours from 9 am to 2 pm, which will be inaugurated by Cinematography Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav.



“Surely, it’s the first-ever debate between the government and Telangana filmmakers and we are hopeful of finding a blueprint to revive the past glory of Telangana cinema,” says writer-director Prem Raj, who is a key member in organising the meet. “We are going through a kind of identity crises, whether Telangana cinema is commercial or artistic. We will also discuss on the kind of support government can initiate to protect the interests of Telangana film fraternity in the new State,” adds Raj.



Like Marathi cinema, which survived the onslaught of Bollywood potboilers, with the support of the Maharashtra government, even Telangana filmmakers are looking for similar support mechanism to pave way for more Telangana-centric movies.



“The Maharashtra government offers a cash subsidy of Rs 45 lakhs for each Marathi film and also ensures screening of Marathi movies even in multiplexes, so we are looking for a similar kind of support to protect Telangana cinema from the onslaught of masala Telugu movies,” says Allani Sridhar, who feels that Telangana cinema has sustained its identity.



“Thanks to legendary filmmakers like B Narsing Rao, R Narayamurthy and others who fought hard to keep our flag flying, we want more Gen Y filmmakers to make Telangana-centric movies, but for that we need strong government backing ,”

he adds.