Film industry benefited from NDA rule: Pahlaj Nihalani

On a day when actor Anupam Kher led a march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to counter the protest of artistes against the “growing intolerance” during the Modi regime, chairperson of the censor board and an active member of the ruling party Pahlaj Nihalani is all set to hold a meeting of the top brass from the film industry to remind them of how much the film industry has

benefited from the present regime.“It was National Democratic Alliance of which the BJP was a part, which granted ‘industry’ status to the film industry. Before that the film fraternity did not receive any of the financial benefits that industries are entitled to. We are what we are because of the NDA’s decision to consider us an industry,” said Mr Nihalani, adding that the NDA-BJP also opened doors for the film industry to receive bank loans.

“Before we got ‘industry’ status, no bank wanted to touch us. After the industry status, we are entitled to bank benefits. Also the multiplex theatres were given a 5-year tax holiday by the NDA government. I’d say the NDA gave the film industry its current shape.”

Mr Nihalani said that now the same government was being insulted by those filmmakers who are returning their awards.“It’s not right. I think it’s the height of intolerance to return awards as a form of protest. Kundan Shah , Dibakar Bannerjee, Zoya Akhtar .their films have won one award each. They should be proud of the award and not disrespect it.”

Mr Nihalani is expected to urge his colleagues to take back their awards.“We will start an anti-awardsvapsi campaign and hope that the fillm industry will see how ungrateful they are being by flinging the awards back in the faces of the very elements who made them an industry. Awards lautaane waalon, kuch sharm karo!” said Nihalani.