Theatre owners can’t set terms: Bharathirajaa

Tamil Nadu Film Active Producers’ Association president Bharathirajaa on Monday said while producers were inclined to screen films in theatres, cinema owners can’t dictate terms.

“We want to screen our movies in theatres but if theatre owners are inflexible, we have other ways [to sell]. The product [film] is ours and they don’t have the right to say what and how we have to do business,” he said.

Mr. Bharathiraaja said if the theatre owners’ association did not want to “talk” about their demands, producers would be forced to look for other ways to sell their films such as OTT platforms. Theatre owners were free to do what they want. “If the theatre owners don’t agree to our demands, we will embrace OTT platforms,” he said.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the TNFAPA office, Mr. Bharathirajaa said that the actors and technicians should first complete projects signed before the lockdown.

‘Need to finish projects’

“This association was formed to look into the problems faced by producers at this moment in time. All big producers are in this association. We urge actors and technicians to complete the projects that they had signed before the COVID-19 lockdown and are currently under production before moving on to new project,” he said.