Vinod Kapri earlier said Pyre lost 75% of its screens after Ramayana was released.
AICWA has backed the complaint and written to Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Suresh Shyamlal Gupta said Pyre rose from 80 screens to about 400 on word of mouth.
Vinod Kapri’s Pyre is drawing praise from critics and audiences, but the film is struggling to hold theatres across India. Earlier this week, Kapri claimed the film’s screen count fell by 75% after the release of Ramayana Part One. He urged cinema owners to bring the film back, saying it had been running to packed auditoriums.
AICWA demands inquiry over Pyre screen cut
That complaint has now drawn support from the All India Cine Workers Association. The body has written to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking an inquiry into the reduction in Pyre screens and pressing for changes to the film distribution system.
Film Body letter details
AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta wrote the letter to the I&B Minister. It says Pyre was made for just ₹2.5 crore and grew from 80 screens to about 400 because of word of mouth. It also repeated Kapri’s allegation that the film’s screen count fell to less than 100 after the release of Ramayana, despite a strong response from viewers.
“I do not oppose Ramayana: Rise of Legend. It is a large-budget film that has given work to hundreds of workers, technicians, junior artists and artists across every department. It should succeed, so that producers profit and workers are paid on time. But a big film's success should not come at the cost of a small film that audiences are already embracing,” the AICWA president wrote.
Gupta cited small-budget hits such as HanuMan while arguing that smaller films deserve a fair chance in theatres. “Small-budget films are the backbone of Indian cinema. They are the largest number of films made each year, and they give new and genuine talent its first opportunity. Their producers raise money with great difficulty and wait years to reach theatres, where they get very few screens. Most small films do not succeed, and when even a film that is working is removed, small producers will stop making films, new artists will lose their chance, and lakhs of workers will lose employment,” he added.
Demands and remedies
The letter calls for a “Fair Screen Allocation Policy for Indian Cinema from the Central Government” and a “grievance redressal mechanism to protect independent and small-budget films”. The association asked the minister to order an “impartial inquiry into why Pyre was reduced from about 400 screens to under 100 despite a positive audience response”. Gupta also sought action if the inquiry finds fault. The letter wants FIRs against theatre owners and distributors found guilty, and asks for “maximum possible screens and shows for Pyre while the inquiry is on, so that audiences who want to see it can do so”.
