Hindi
Budget: Film industry reacts positively
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The film industry has reacted positively to the Budget for 2012-13, describing it as a special gift in 2012 that marks the beginning of the centenary year of Indian cinema.
The exemption of the film industry from service tax on copyrights relating to recording of cinematographic films is a welcome step that would go on to support the industry that has seen many ups and downs in recent years.
Said Reliance Entertainment CEO Sanjeev Lamba, “With no service tax now on transfer of copyrights, and entertainment becoming a part of the negative list, this is a huge positive for the industry. There will however be a negative impact due to the general increase in service tax, excise and custom duties. The determination of bringing GST from 12 August sounds quite optimistic. It will bring radical and positive changes in the taxation.”
The Film Federation of India and film exhibitors have welcomed the announcement in the Budget taking “admission to entertainment or access to amusement services” out of the domain of service tax.
FFI President Vinod Lamba welcomed the exemption of the film industry from service tax on copyrights relating to recording of cinematographic films.
Producer Mukesh Bhatt is delighted with the government’s decision to exempt the film industry from service tax. He said, “There couldn’t be such a gift to the film industry that is celebrating its 100th year. With the removal of service tax on copyrights relating to recording of cinematographic films, the Finance Minister has saved us from the repercussion we had to go through passing the service tax burden from the producer to the distributor to the exhibitor. The economics of our business will definitely change.”
Reacting to the concessions, Bharatiya Janata Party member and prominent film personality Shatrughan Sinha told indiantelevision.com that these concessions had been long overdue and the government had been turning a deaf ear to them until the industry began putting pressure.
Film and Television Producers Guild CEO Kulmeet Makkar said in a telephonic interview that this was perhaps the first time that the Government had shown that the film industry mattered to it. He said that taking cinema out of the service tax net was a very positive development.
He said it was also very heartening that incentives had been given to venture capitalists, and this would bring in more people to stake money on good cinema.
It may be recalled that the Indian film industry had represented that colour, unexposed jumbo rolls of cinematographic film are not manufactured domestically and have to be imported. Heeding to their demands, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee proposed to exempt jumbo rolls of 400 feet and 1,000 feet from CVD (countervailing duty) by providing full exemption from excise duty.
However, the raising of the service tax has grieved a few. Cinemax CEO Sunil Punjabi said, “The impact of service tax moving from 10 to 12 per cent will adversely impact profitability but the positive angle is the implementation of goods and services tax (GST) from this year. That will have a positive impact.”
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
