Kamal Haasan anticipates stronger protests as Tamil Nadu theatres down shutters to oppose tax over and above the newly implemented GST
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; July 5, 2017)

Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has pointed out to the prevalent corruption in Tamil Nadu for having 'asphyxiated the film industry', after the state levied an additional 30 per cent corporation tax, over and above the newly implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST). "Filmmaking in this state has been made difficult deliberately. There are further tortures and systemic corruption that the film industry has to endure under this regime. All factions of the industry are agitated," he wrote in a statement.

Haasan has spoken up in favour of the Tamil Nadu distributors and theatre owners who've pulled down the shutters of about 1,000 single screens and multiplexes since Monday over the additional taxation. Citing the flaws in the additional Local Bodies Entertainment Tax by the state, trade analyst Atul Mohan says, "The new taxation leaves so little in the hand of producers, that no one will want to make a film. The government, which is keeping a major chunk of the earnings for itself, is essentially becoming partner on a film without making any investment."

Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of The Film & Television Producers Guild of India, says, "This move of double taxation will not only defeat the purpose of introducing GST as a progressive regime but will also make the industry commercially unviable."