Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03:
The Film Forum, Manipur has urged Governor Ved Marwah to declare the film sector as an industry in the State saying it was giving both direct and indirect employment to more than 6000 persons.
In a memorandum, the forum said that the fate of the 6000 employees engaged in the production, exhibition and distribution sector has become uncertain.
Manipuri film industry has been dying due to lack of parental guidance from the State Government, it said.
Stating that State film sector has been striving against the absence of film studio, film laboratory and post production equipments, it said and added that around 6-7 films are produced annually.
The lack of support from the Government has resulted in the decrease in the quality of films; the forum said that State's 58 cinema halls have become defunct now.
It said that the Government earned just Rs 4 lakhs during 1st April to 31st August this year as against the earlier mark of Rs 1,23,40,020 crore in 1997-98.The memorandum further pointed out that State's film sector earned international status in 1982 with A Shyam Sharma's Imagi Ningthem while Assam got international recognition only in 1988.The Centre had intimated the State Government in 1998 to grant industry status to films in the State.