Lack of professiolism behind loss, film producers told

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 6: The All Assam Cinema Hall Owners’ Association (AACHOA) has protested against the demand of the Film Fraternities of Assam (FFA) to reduce service tax for Assamese films. Rs 40 is currently charged as service tax for such films in the State.

Talking to newsmen in Guwahati Town Club today, AACHOA president Chinmoy Sarma said today: “Assamese film producers have been making loss not because of the service tax of Rs 40 each ticket charged by 14 out of 77 cinema halls in the state, but because of lack of professiolism in making films. We, the 14 cinema hall owners, have taken the service tax as per the recommendation of Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) exhibitor’s relevant section, where the government came out with a new policy in 2007 to encourage the reopening of cinema halls, and upgrading the existing ones. The other cinema halls still charge the service tax at the rate of Rs 5 a ticket.”

“As per the recommendations, a cinema hall with digital sound, pushback seats and central air-condition is allowed to charge Rs 40 in total as service charge. With the help of the policy, instead of 40 screens in 2001, more than 75 screens were started to run. It is totally a false information that due to service tax of Rs 40, all the Assamese cinema producers are making loss. This is because when the movies of Assamese producers are released, they don’t invest funds in publicity of films, for which, the people don’t know of the films, leading to reduction in the number of audience. Again, we always give prime shows to the films in our halls like at 2 pm and 5 pm, but due to lack of audience, we have to remove the film from the screen after one week. We, therefore, want to make it clear that it’s not service tax, but lack of publicity, promotion and professiolism that are behind the loss being made by Assamese film producers. We also want the development of Assamese cinema, and for that, we are ready to give up the service tax, if need be. We, however, want a minimum charge so as to recover the electricity rentals and remuneration of the men at work in this venture.”