Film Chamber's male chauvinism to the fore

Discrimination against females is everywhere though women have conquered many fields.

Every one does lip service and even film industry is not immune to it. They have taken many films on women upliftment but when it comes to sharing seats and power with them, their ego doesn't permit it to happen.

Elections are due for 44 executive committe posts and 87 posts in fours sectors -producers, exhibitors, distributors and studio owners ' of the Andhra Pradesh Film Chamber of Commerce which will be held on 29th July.

Film maker Jeevitha Rajasekhar decided to contest for one of the posts and at that point some members called her asking her to withdraw her nomination as she is the only woman member and they are against her entry into the male dominated AP film chamber.

Producer Natti Kumar says 'It clearly smacks of male chauvinism since they are unable to tolerate a woman member in the panel. But Jeevitha is a strong lady and she wouldn't withdraw from the contest at any cost.

She also received calls from a few members of a rival panel, but she will fight it out; there's no question of withdrawal,'.

Many feel the film chamber is in the hands of four to five top film makers and big families who weild immense clout and who don't want their power to wane in any manner.

Producer CN.Rao says 'The present panel has failed to resolve the long-pending problems of small-budget film-makers, so we thought of forming our own panel and contesting the elections.

We thus brought in producer Jeevitha to give more representation to women in resolving T-wood issues. She is a capable lady but few film-makers are trying to scuttle our plans and stop the entry of a woman,'.

Sai Venkat feels the infleuntial few have made the lives of 400 small producers miserable.

He says 'Except for stars of four or five big families, others actors and directors are finding it difficult to get finance, infrastructure and theatres to release their films; we want to break that stranglehold by contesting the elections,'

Producer Chadalavada Srinivasa Rao had earlier spearheaded a campaign against four or five big shots who are running around 800 theatres on lease.

'Telugu cinema will die if theatres are not freed from such people. Young talent is disappearing from T-town since more than 600-odd films are lying in cans for want of theatres and only a new body can change things for better,' he adds.

Producer Natti Kumar adds, 'They are okay with few people with criminal links in their panel, but say no to a woman with a clean image. That's disgusting.'. The elections is a direct contest between Suresh Babu panel and Tammareddy Bharadwaj panel.