Rajkumar to lead film dharna

The Kannada film industry has resolved to start an indefinite dharna in front of the Vidhana Soudha from November 25. It will be led by Rajkumar.

The action is an effort to pressure the government to respond to the demands of the Kannada film industry demanding the enforcement of the moratorium imposed on non-Kannada movies.

Actor Rajkumar announced this at a press conference at his residence on Monday. where he announced the launch of an indefinite dharna in front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore from November 25. The press conference also saw some senior members of the Kannada film industry.

Earlier in the day, a few representatives od the Kannada film met chief minister Dharam Singh to stop exhibitors from violating the three-week moratorium imposed by the Kannada film industry.

A section of the Kannada film industry had an 'interaction' with chief minister Dharam Singh on Monday morning over the issue of the three-week moratorium on non-Kannada films. The meeting was not attended by many prominent film producers. The producers have been making every effort to get an official sanction for the moratorium.

Last week, the Karnataka high court had ordered the state to provide police protection to cinemas exhibiting non-Kannada movies in 'violation' of the three-week moratorium.

The exhibitors, meanwhile, are miffed with the producers' efforts to get an official sanction for the moratorium on non-Kannada films.

"This is a free country. Any effort to stop the screening of films is a violation of the Constitution provisions. It is only the Centre that can impose such moratoria," said V Dhananjay, an exhibitor, who is also a lawyer.