by reciprocal arrangement with Star of Mysore

Bangalore, Sep 30 : Kannada film producers have decided to suspend film production for one year from Saturday September 30.

The decision was taken at the producers' meeting held on Friday September 29, in view of the failure of 49 Kannada films out of 50 produced this year.

Kannada Film Producers' Association President Sandesh Nagaraj said after the meeting that the decision was taken as the industry has incurred a loss of Rs. 55 crore.

Though there is a huge number of Kannada film audience in Mangalore, Tumkur and Davanagere centres, there is a situation of non-availability of theatres to screen these films.

Siddeshwara theatre in Bangalore, which was reserved for Kannada films is also screening Tamil and Telugu films, Nagaraj said.

He said My Autograph is the only hit film in this calendar year. There is a policy that other language films should be screened in only 10 theatres, but the Telugu film Stalin has been released in 41 theatres. In this situation, Film Chamber of Commerce should come to the rescue of producers, he sighs.

"We are not protesting against anyone, but this is a silent protest, he claimed and added that the ongoing film shootings will be permitted to complete and there will be no muhurtha for new films for one year.