The film industry of Punjab, which boasts of classics such as Udeekan and Chan Pradesi, is in doldrums thanks to the apathy of successive governments in the state. The closure of Punjab Film and News Corporation, the PSU formed to promote feature film production in Punjab, was another jolt to the regional film industry in the state. Above all, the entertainment tax in the state is as high as 125% compared to 50% in neighbouring Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh.
At one time, Punjab had 176 cinema houses, the highest in north India. While the number has been on the rise in other states, it has come down to about 80 in Punjab in less than a decade.
?Film making in Punjab suffered first at the hands of militancy and then the government,? says ML Kapur, president, northern India Motion Pictures Association.
In adjoining Himachal Pradesh, the government has waived entertainment tax on films. This has resulted in a 10% increase in the number of cinema houses in the state in the past three years.
In contrast, a large number of cinema halls have been closed down in Punjab.
Industry watchers also put the blame on the lack of infrastructure facilities. Many filmmakers from the state run to Mumbai to avail of the post-production facilities there. ?Post-production facilities were scarce in Punjab and film producers had no option but to go to Mumbai for post-production work,? says senior journalist and documentary film maker Manmohan Singh.
Actor Preeti Sapru has, for some time now, been making a case before the Punjab government to make it obligatory for cinema houses in the state to show Punjabi films by rotation, on the lines of Maharashtra, to encourage local filmmakers. Sapru, born and brought up in Maharashtra, has been lobbying with the state ?to see reality and reason? and establish the required infrastructure in the state.
Meanwhile, most producers are now making video albums on bhangra and pop that require less finance and are more viable business-wise. Little doubt that Bhojpuri films are doing better business these days than films made in native Punjabi.
On an average, eight to 10 Bhojpuri films are released in the region (comprising Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh) every month. These films are earning revenues to the tune of Rs 4-6 lakh a week.
Film distributors in Jalandhar say Bhojpuri films earn them a share of anything between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000 from each cinema hall where a film is exhibited.
Popular Bhojpuri films like Ganga (starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini) and Panditji Bataiye Na Biyah Kab Hoi have un to packed cinemas for almost a month.
In fact, the recent big Bhojpuri hit, Panditji Bataiye Na Biyah Kab Hoi, earned revenue of Rs 6 lakh a week. Bhojpuri films like Banke Bihari and Purv Aur Pachhim, starring Ravi Shankar and Rambha, too, attracted a sizeable crowd.