Hindi
Kannada film fraternity mulls production halt over subsidies, ent tax issues
BANGALORE: The Kannada film fraternity has threatened to call for a stoppage of all production work starting 28 February 2008 over the entertainment tax on remakes and subsidies issues. However, there are no plans to stop screening of films as yet.
Earlier, the industry withdrew its call for a statewide strike that was to be held on 14 February, after talks with government officials who assured them that the entertainment tax issue would be looked into during the state‘s budget. The industry is also demanding benefits for Kannada film remakes.
The Kannada film industry is much smaller than the film industries of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The annual investments in Kannada films are about Rs 2 billion – about one fifth of the investment in the Telugu and Tamil film industry.
Last year, 98 Kannada films, including remakes, were made. To protect original Kannada films, since 1966, the state government has been granting entertainment tax exemptions, besides which original Kannada films are also eligible for subsidies and awards.
Annually, the state government spends around Rs 35 million towards subsidies. The subsidies are offered to 30 films, the maximum subsidy amount being Rs one million per movie, besides which two children‘s films per year are granted subsidies of Rs 2.5 million each.
At present, exhibitors in Karnataka have to pay entertainment tax (40 per cent of the cost of the tickets sold) for screening of remakes and non-Kannada films. According to reports, last year, the state government collected around Rs 560 million towards entertainment tax from exhibitors of remakes and non-Kannada films.
In the case of a Kannada hit film Krishna, in October 2007, the government had exempted it from the payment of entertainment tax, since the producer had declared it as an original movie.. Consequently, the exhibitors did not collect any tax while screening this film.
However, some time ago, a Tamil film producer approached the Tamil Film Chamber alleging that Krishna was a remake of his Tamil film Unnai Ninnathen. Hence, towards the end of December 2007, the Karnataka commissioner of information issued an order staying the entertainment tax exemption given to Krishna and seven other Kannada films. The officials of the commercial tax department have been pressing the exhibitors of these films to pay entertainment taxes that they have not collected – this amounts to between Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million, according to industry sources.
The Kannada film industry is undecided on whether offering of sops to remakes will be a positive or a retrograde step. Some industry pundits feel that all Kannada films should be exempt from entertainment tax, irrespective of the fact that a film is an original Kannada one or a remake. Others feel that only original Kannada films should be exempted from entertainment tax to help creative directors without resources take up filmmaking.
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.
