The Telangana Film Chamber Of Commerce will hold its elections on the 28th of this month. The timing is crucial, as the film industry is facing severe turbulence due to shrinking theatrical and non theatrical markets.
The election has also gained importance amid allegations against the current establishment. Serious claims have been made against outgoing President Bharat Bhushan and Secretary Prasanna Kumar over attempts to monetise the existing Film Chamber building.
There is ongoing friction between the Chamber, largely controlled by inactive producers, and the Guild, which is run by active filmmakers. The Guild argues that inactive producers do not represent the present needs of those actively making films.
So far, efforts by the Guild to gain control of the Chamber have not succeeded. In an earlier election, Dil Raju won the President post, but most other positions went to the inactive producers’ panel, limiting his influence.
This time, the strategy is to gain complete control of the Chamber from top to bottom. The President post is reserved for the Studio Sector under the rotational system.
The active producers’ panel has named Suresh Babu as its presidential candidate. The rival panel has not yet announced its candidate, raising speculation about a possible unanimous election out of mutual respect.
Suresh Babu is considered an interesting choice by the active producers. He holds views that differ from many Guild members, particularly on ticket pricing and the percentage system in theatres.
He has consistently supported affordable ticket prices, while the Guild has often backed price hikes citing rising budgets and remunerations. He is also a strong advocate of the percentage system over the rental system.
Although there were rumours that he supported the theatre bandh earlier, Guild producers prefer the rental model to protect big film revenues. Notably, Suresh Babu has not been actively producing films for a long time.
Despite this, he is seen as a pragmatic and accommodating figure, especially when it comes to big films. He also appeals to senior and inactive producers, making him a strategic choice.
Winning the Chamber elections will not be easy. Inactive producers still hold a numerical advantage in votes, ensuring that this election will be closely fought and politically intense.
