MUMBAI :Bollywood biggie and one of the most awaited films Pathaan is all set to hit the screens tomorrow. SRK, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham fans have shown their love for the film by blocking their tickets for the film, as the advance bookings seem to be on a record breaking high. This is true in most Indian cities including Kolkata.

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However now Pathaan has irked many filmmakers in Kolkata as their currently running films on single screen theaters are being taken down to make way for Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback film by cinema owners.
Last week itself, Bengali films like Dilkhush, Doctor Bakshi and Kaberi Antardhan finally saw a theatrical release after a long wait. Despite the films getting positive response from movie goers, their show counts will drastically drop to offer maximum space to Aditya Chopra’s Pathaan. Dev’s Projapoti also will see the same fate after 50 days of successful runtime in cinemas. 
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What has made Bengali filmmakers furious is that the distributors of Pathaan have put a clause that for screening the film, the single screens must give all their shows for the SRK starrer. 

Kaushik Ganguly whose film Kaberi Antardhan hit cinemas on 20th January said, “I can understand the pressure these single screen owners are facing. They paid full salary to the employees for the past two years during the pandemic even if there was no film business. I have no complaints against them. If I was in their position maybe I would have done the same. But I think we need a proper policy for the film business model in West Bengal. I know ‘Kaberi Antardhan’ will suffer like other Bengali films. Single screen owners have been told no other films can be played if they want ‘Pathaan’. The Bengali industry has been patient in this particular issue for years but now we have to take a stand. If a Bengali film which was doing great business in 40-50 halls suddenly faces this harsh treatment in its own state then we have to admit that there’s something wrong.”
The National Award winning director whose film is getting a great response in cinemas added, “We have to stand united and stop this distribution model. If needed the government has to intervene. Bengali films should be given at least 50 per cent shows on prime time.”

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Credit-TOI