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In a meeting held on May 30 between the Maharashtra government,Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal (ABMCM) and around 40 representatives from the Marathi film industry,demands were made to ease the strain that is pulling the talkies down. “The talkies are not something that can be ignored or viewed in isolation. They are part of the local entertainment scheme and should flourish. We had put up a few demands to the government,and a committee has also been formed,” says Prasad Surve,president of ABMCM. “Marathi films are not subject to entertainment tax,but touring talkies are! We have asked that for the tents that show only Marathi films,no entertainment tax should be levied. We have also asked for a consolidated tax rate that should be charged for a tent lasting up to one entire jatra . That tax also we feel should be fairly subsidised,” says Surve.

But voices like Surve’s are rare. In an industry that has only seven touring talkies left in Western Maharashtra and 35 in Vidharbha and Marathwada,fears of extinction loom large. Around 15 years ago,there were 150 touring talkies in the state. Anup Jagdale,who runs Anup Talkies in Marathwada region,and on whose life Road ,Movie is based,puts in a great effort to keep his talkies from sinking. “We have digital dolby sound in our talkies now and even xenon lights. But there is little profit that we earn. It’s just the prestige that we associate with it and the long heritage that makes us continue with this business.”

Around two years ago,the world had seen a potential advertising tool in these talkies. Today,four brands from Hindustan Unilever – Wheel,Vim,Brooke Bond and Lux – and others like Parle,Tata Teleservices,STAR Pravah,Idea Cellular and Officer’s Choice advertise with the touring talkies. They reach more than a lakh of people through every jatra ,the cost of reaching one person being less than a rupee. But how far do these sponsorships help has not been measured well. “A talkie can earn anything between R 5,000 to R 50,000 from a sponsorship. But how much that helps is not easy to say,” says Neeta Devkar,film producer who is well–known in the touring talkies industry.

But while the talkies keep their hands full with their continual measures for survival,a digital revolution awaits. Pankaj Jaysinh,chief operating officer,UFO Moviez India Limited,Mumbai,says,“There are 200 UFO cinemas in Maharashtra,which means that the rural penetration in the state is quite good. That is a trend that shows that cinema is now more equipped to reach the interiors than it was before. So why should touring talkies not be history soon?” Five years back,the UFO had tried to introduce digital screening to the touring talkies. “But nothing has materialised since then. And the cost that they were suggesting was too high,” says Jagdale. He scoffs at the idea of digitising these tents owing to the costs involved.