Politics likely to 'caste’ a role in film body polls

Triangular contest for the post of KFCC president

Like the more mainstream election, the one to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) on Saturday is also keenly watched by stakeholders. This time, leading producers B.N. Gangadhar, B. Vijayakumar and S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu are in the fray for the post of president.

M.N. Kumar and Umesh Banakar have already been elected unopposed for the posts of vice-president from the producer and distributor sectors. The electorate is 1,290 strong, the breakup being 659 producers, 364 distributors, and 267 exhibitors.

Political support

Of the three contestants for the top post, Mr. Vijayakumar is said to enjoy more support from the industry and from political parties as he is the Karnataka Silk Board chairman.

Mr. Babu has produced landmark films in Kannada such as

Antha , Bandhana , Muthina Hara , Himapatha and Nagarahole , besides some Telugu and Hindi ones.

Mr. Vijayakumar claims to have produced over 20 films, including the Vishnuvardhan starrer

Lion Jagapathi Rao , and Mr. Gangadhar 25 films, including the blockbuster

Sundara Kanda starring Ravichandran.

Caste equations

It is understood that in all likelihood, political equations and caste considerations are set to swing the votes rather than the candidates’ stature in the industry. Mr. Gangadhar and Mr. Vjayakumar belong to the Vokkaliga and Vaishya communities respectively while Mr. Babu is a Rajput.

All the three have declared their intention to address the problems plaguing the 78-year-old Kannada film industry, especially issues over tax concessions, improving the quality of films and television channels’ reluctance to buy films.

Mr. Babu told The Hindu he was only too aware that the problems had to be resolved what with the industry facing the heat from competition from elsewhere. A winner of six national awards, 16 State awards and 3 Filmfare awards, besides the S.R. Puttanna Kanagal Award instituted by the State Government, he pushed for his case saying his family had been involved in the evolution of the industry for the last three generations.

Connections

Not one to underplay his contribution, Mr. Vijayakumar, who pointed out to three of his notable films on his CV ( Lion Jagapathi Rao , Mouna Geethe and Jagadeka Veera ), said: “With my position and connections with the ruling party, I think I can solve the industry’s problems.”

Mr. Gangadhar’s platform is to fight for withdrawal of the show tax, a major burden for producers, and use friendly persuasion to get channels to screen Kannada films.

Meanwhile, there is a stiff competition between S.A. Chinne Gowda and Madhusudhan Reddy for the post of treasurer and between A. Ganesh and Joe Simon for the secretary’s post.