Providing a respite to the owners of 83 cinema theatres in nine districts in the State that were sealed for functioning in violation of rules, Minister for Information and Public Relations and Cinematography Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) on Thursday gave his nod for reopening the theatres.
The Minister, however, directed the owners to equip the theatres with the required facilities and safety gadgets within one month.
Telugu actor, director and producer R. Narayana Murthy met the Minister along with a group of cinema owners of Krishna district, at Machilipatnam on Thursday to represent their case.
The Minister responded favourably to their plea and agreed to allow them to reopen the theatres, but asked them to obtain all the licences within a month. He said they would have to forward their applications to the Joint Collectors in their respective districts.
Later, speaking to the reporters, Mr. Venkataramaiah said that he had directed the theatre owners who had met him in September to get all the necessary licences to run their businesses.
“But they did not heed my advice. The surprise visits by the officials revealed that they have been running the theatres in violation of the rule book. They have not renewed their licences. They neither have B-forms nor the NOC issued by the Fire Department,” said the Minister, adding; “Tomorrow, if some untoward incident happens, the government will be the target to be blamed.”
Narayana Murthy against benefit shows
Mr. Narayana Murthy said he was always opposed to the practice of increasing the rates of tickets for big-budget films. “That is nothing but authorised black marketing. I have always been against benefit shows,” he added.
He said the government was trying to bring cinema within the reach of the common man, which was a good thing.
“The film industry and the theatre should live on,” he added.
