Producers Guild of India defends filmmakers decision to release films on digital platforms

There has been much uproar from cinema chains about the digital releases of new films. On Thursday, it was announced that Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ will be skipping a theatrical release and instead opting for a premiere on Amazon Prime Video. Similarly today, Vidya Balan’s ‘Shakuntala Devi’ has been confirmed to release on the same platform.

Multiplex chain, INOX has since expressed its displeasure and disappointment at the decision of filmmakers going to streaming giants rather than waiting for theatres to re-open.

Standing with the producers, the Producers Guild Of India issued a statement on Friday. It said, “We are in unprecedented times, facing one of the greatest public health and economic emergencies of our lifetimes. This is a time for the entire film industry to come together with empathy and support for the difficult predicament that each of our constituencies finds themselves in – from producers, distributors, exhibitors, daily wage earners and technicians, to the thousands of people whose lives and livelihoods are in some way dependent on our industry.”

“Hence at a time like this, it is disappointing to see abrasive and unconstructive messaging from some of our colleagues in the exhibition section. Statements that call for “retributive measures” against producers who decide to take their movies direct to OTT platforms – especially at a time when cinemas are unfortunately closed for foreseeable future – do not lend themselves to a constructive or collaborative dialogue on the way forward for the industry,” it added.

The full statement was issued on Twitter – See below.

Statement from Producers Guild of India pic.twitter.com/WCeX3zMlsh

— producersguildindia (@producers_guild) May 15, 2020