This Article is From Apr 08, 2015

Marathi Movies Order Divides Bollywood; On Twitter, the Case For and Against

Marathi Movies Order Divides Bollywood; On Twitter, the Case For and Against

Rishi Kapoor tweeted his stamp of approval while Punit Malhotra begs to differ

New Delhi: In a show of regional pride, the BJP government in Maharashtra yesterday ordered that Mumbai multiplexes reserve a screen between six and nine pm every day to show a Marathi film. Predictably, this has left social media divided.

"We just want to promote Marathi films, why the opposition?," Maharashtra's Culture Minister Vinod Tawde told NDTV.

He found support from several Bollywood quarters, among them actor Riteish Deshmukh who made his Marathi language debut in last year's Lai Bhari. On Twitter, he described the announcement as 'welcome news.'

Actors Rishi Kapoor and Kabir Bedi, directors Onir and Vivek Agnihotri and Marathi actress Usha Jhadav also tweeted a stamp of approval.



















Not everyone was as welcoming. Director Punit Malhotra tweeted:

These tweets from Shobhaa De criticising the move were raised in the Maharashtra assembly with a lawmaker demanding a privilege motion against her and an apology:







Censor Board member Ashoke Pandit also disagreed publicly:



While also identifying gaps in arts and culture achievements in Mumbai:





Congress politician Milind Deora offered this suggestion:



Yesterday, Mr Tawde said that the previous government, a coalition of the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP, also made it mandatory for cinemas to show Marathi films but the rule was circumvented by owners "who only want to make money" by screening the regional films at odd hours. "So we made it mandatory during prime time," said Mr Tawde. The minister added that the government is considering a move to make it "compulsory for all multiplexes to show a small film on (legendary director) Dadasaheb Phalke" before the main movie begins.
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