MNS fear: Bhojpuri film industry may shift out of Mumbai

Kamal Narayan

New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Raj Thackeray's tirade against
north Indians could end up hurting Maharashtrians working in
the over Rs 200-crore Bhojpuri film industry as it considers
moving out of Mumbai owing to increasing insecurity.

With an average output of 75 movies per annum and an over
250 million target audience, the Bhojpuri film industry
employs hundreds of unskilled and semi-skilled people from
the state in various stage of production and distribution.

The industry, which has around 50 registered production
houses in Mumbai, has initiated talks with some state
governments like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for its set up.

"We have given a proposal to the Uttar Pradesh government
through its Culture Minister Subhash Pandey for setting up the
industry in Lucknow. Besides, we are also counting on some
other options like Delhi, Noida and Patna," Bhojpuri superstar
and producer Manoj Tiwari told P.T.I.

The actor was of the opinion that shifting the industry
to Uttar Pradesh or Bihar would also lead to employment for
speakers of the language.

Tiwari said that despite employing a large number of
Maharashtrians, the Bhojpuri film industry was still being
targeted for "our connection with north India, even though
Bhojpuri films have their audiences across the country."

"We are living under the shadow of fear in Mumbai. M.N.S.
goons even target us during outdoor shootings. We are not
secure here," he said.

The actor said he had to stop shooting for one of his
movies featuring Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff at Satara when
some suspected Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (M.N.S.) activists
attacked the unit. The shooting was later completed in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Tiwari's office in suburban Versova was also ransacked
allegedly by some M.N.S. activists in February this year.

Confirming the plans of shifting, another Bhojpuri star
Ravikishan said, "No industry can work in an atmosphere of
fear and disturbance for a long time. And if the adverse
situation in Maharashtra continues then it will make sense to
move to another place."

In July also, suspected M.N.S. activists attacked a
cinema in Lower Parel where a Bhojpuri film was being
screened.

The industry came into the limelight after Tiwari and
Ravikishan's 'Sasura Bada Paise Wala' became a mega hit in
2003.

Since then the Bhojpuri cinema has never looked back as
Bollywood stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini,
Shatrughan Sinha and Subhash Ghai have also tried their hands
at it.

The films even have a vast overseas market as the
Bhojpuri diaspora is spread over countries like Mauritius,
Nepal, Dubai, Ghana, West Indies, Fiji, Indonesia, Surinam and
the Netherlands.

Industry insiders said nearly 70 percent of the total
production cost of a Bhojpuri film -- budgets of which range
from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1.25 crore -- is usually spent in
Maharashtra, providing direct employment to junior artists,
make-up men, spot boys and local studios among others.

The Bhojpuri film fraternity has expressed deep anguish
over the increasing violence against north Indians in Mumbai
and held the Maharashtra government responsible for not
checking such incidents.

"Maharashtra government and Raj Thackeray are equally
responsible for this social divide and violence. The police
administration is not working seriously to stop violence,"
Tiwari added.