As Maharashtra government formation inspires enough drama, producers throng IMPPA to register titles related to the political episode
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; November 28, 2019)

Filmmakers are all too aware of how real-life episodes often offer more compelling narratives than their fictional stories. So, it's not surprising that even as the country bore witness to the month-long turmoil that surrounded the formation of Maharashtra government and the eventual appointment of Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister, several filmmakers rushed to the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association (IMPPA) to register titles related to the political situation in the state.

An IMPPA representative tells mid-day that over the past week, the organisation has received an overwhelming number of applications from major production houses, including T-Series. "We have seen a huge demand for titles like Chanakya Ka Khel, Mahagatbandhan, Aghadi, Mahayuti and Saheb. The association has received at least five to 10 applications every day," says the representative, adding that several studios are trying their best to expedite the process. "The processing of a regular application takes about 45 to 50 days. But many top studios have paid a premium of Rs 3,000; in such cases, we have to respond within seven days."

Trade analyst Amod Mehra says, "At a time when there are so many remakes happening, an original subject like this is pure gold for filmmakers."