After Marathi film producers voiced their concerns over film screenings, a Sindhi movie director has shot off a letter to the chief minister demanding incentives for the preservation of Sindhi movie culture. Anand T Manwani, whose movie Hath Na Lagaye (Don’t Touch Me) is running in the city, in his letter said that since Sindhis do not have a state of their own, it is the duty of the government to promote the language and culture.
The letter asks for tax exemptions on par with most Marathi movies. He added that the letter had to be sent in a hurry as the issue was topical, and that a group would be meeting the CM soon. With a budget of Rs25 to Rs40 lakh, Sindhi movies rarely manage to recover costs and get show timings. “No matter how low the budget, hardly anyone manages to break even,” said Kamal Nathani, a producer who supported Manwani’s demand.
“Sindhi movies do well in certain pockets like Bandra-Khar, Ulhasnagar, Pimpri, Nagpur and Nashik,” added Nathani. Studio owner and producer Gopal Ragani explained that this trend had been there since 1997, when a Sindhi movie was finally made after 13 years. “We can’t spend money on advertisements. Sometimes, publicity happens on smses,” added Ragani.
Subadhra Anand, a Sindhi scholar, said, “Not just Sindhi, every regional language is facing tough competition from English. Since Sindhis don’t have a state of their own, they don’t get a steady patronage.”
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