Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 11:
An emergency meeting of Film Forum, manipur convened today after an underground group slapped monetary demand to owners/proprietors of some cinema hall has decided to cease screening of movies in all the theatres of the State from tomorrow onwards.
According to sources, the meeting was held this afternoon on intimation of cinema hall proprietors to discuss the issue and subsequently the Forum's chairman W Lalit announced decision to cease screening of films during an interaction with mediapersons at its Shankar Talkies, Lamphel office.
Lalit highlighted that organisations as well as unidentified persons insisting on monetary donation/demand from cinema halls is not a recent phenomenon.
Conceding that such cases in the past too were solved by the movie theatre owners with due consultation of all concerned, lalit however asserted that this time around intense pressure was piled upon the hall proprietors consequently resulting in the owners confiding their grievances to the Forum.
He also announced that three resolutions were adopted after the meeting inclusive of appealing to all organisations/outfits to refrain from demand which would be impossible to comply with, closure of cinema halls till the current problem is resolved amicably and to demonstrate against such undesired activities/conduct through sit-in-protest.
Failure to arrive at an amicable solution inspite of all these moves would lead to cessation of all activities related to film production, screening, release or premier shows, added the statement.