The ambitious plan to release Rajinikanth’s Kabali in five-star hotels in the city has been dashed, with the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru rejecting the distributor’s application for permission.
The DC, V. Shankar, in his reply to the application made by Lahari Recording Company, has said, “The film can be screened in theatres and multiplexes, which have taken permission from the authorities concerned, as prescribed by the Karnataka Cinema (Regulation) Act, and not in five-star hotels as requested by you. Your appeal has been rejected.”
The Karnataka State Film Exhibitors’ Association (KSFEA) and the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) had opposed the “unlawful” screening of the film in hotels. They had cited provisions of the Act to argue that the premises of a hotel cannot be regarded as a “cinema” where one can sell tickets and screen films. They had appealed to the Home Department, the DC and the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Entertainment) to stop the screenings.
In fact, KSFEA met on Wednesday morning and even decided to not screen Kabali in single screens if the government permits the screening in five-star hotels.
Velu of Lahari Music told The Hindu , “Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner had said his permission was not necessary. Considering the objections raised by KFCC and KSFEA, we applied for a written permission, which was rejected by him today.”
Distributors of Kabali had planned to screen the film at JW Marriot, Lalit Ashok, Royal Orchid and Crown Plaza, with ticket prices ranging from Rs. 1,300 to Rs. 1,500. More than 15,000 people had bought the tickets, which will now have to be refunded.
