Tollywood wants the show to go on, but with precautions

Hyderabad: The government must come up with a stimulus package for the film industry to help it deal with the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown. It must also allow shootings and permit movie theatres to open, with the necessary precautions, because ‘the show must go on’, some of the Telugu film industry’s well-known production houses said on Saturday.
“Theatres have opened in many countries across the world.Governments there have offered stimulus and benefits because the film industry employs a large number of people. These jobs have to be protected in India too. Such stimulus must be given and the industry allowed to function,” Suresh Babu Daggubati, MD, Suresh Productions, said at a session on `Small Screen Dreams Get Bigger’ conducted on the last day of TOI’s six-day virtual conclave ‘Reboot Telangana- Making Telangana Future Positive’, supported by CREDAI Hyderabad in association with Meluha Technologies Pvt Ltd, Saket Pranamam, Janapriya, and Agromech.
“One way the central government can help is by reducing GST on regional films. The state government should treat us on par with other industries and charge lower power tariffs. Cinema ticket rates should also be made flexible. The upper limit can be fixed by the government but the producer should be allowed to fix ticket prices. If the ticket price is high during weekends, perhaps it could be low for morning shows,” he said.
“In the Covid-19 situation, social distancing can be followed on the sets. But if you are talking about a romantic scene or a fight sequence, it may not be practical. However, due care and diligence can be taken,” said Vishnu Manchu, actor & founder, 24 Frames Factory. He said the number of people on sets can be limited and a nursing station be set up to ensure all necessary precautions are taken.
Swapna Dutt, Co-Producer, Vyjayanthi Movies, said: “Cinema provides entertainment but lives are important. We should understand the emerging situation and act accordingly while allowing shootings and opening theatres.”
The panelists also said while films were being released on OTT platforms and people were watching web series, movie goers love watching movies on the big screen.