Ghajini hits a roadblock in Karnataka

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce has ordered Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini to be pulled out of at least 37 screens in Karnataka with immediate effect.

The direction comes in the wake of a violation by theatre owners of a Memorandum of Understanding, which states that any non-Kannada film can be played only on 21 screens in the state.

Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President Jayamala, in a letter to the distributors of the movie and notices to theatre owners, has stated that the chamber has found that the movie is being shown on at least 58 screens, 37 more than the specified limit.

The MoU between the chamber and the distributors was signed three years back as there was an uproar that the Kannada film industry was doing badly due to the screening of non Kannada movies in too many screens across the state.

In the MoU, it was also stated that 17 screens in Bangalore city and four screens outside the city can screen a non-Kannada film.

The film chamber states that only 21 prints of Ghajini have been released in Karnataka as per the MoU but the movie has been playing on 58 screens. The notice further directs that the movie be pulled out of those screens, which have showing the movie illegally.

The KFCC has also demanded that a part of the revenue generated by screening the movie be paid to it immediate effect. Meanwhile, the distributors have given a written assurance to the KFCC that the movie will be pulled out immediately from those theatres which are screening it illegally.