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46 Indie Filmmakers Demand Fair Access After Kanu Behl’s Agra Gets Few Screens

The group says opaque multiplex practices, coupled with OTT reliance on box office, shut independent films out of view.

Overview

  • Behl shared a joint statement signed by 46 filmmakers calling out exhibition inequity after Agra’s limited India release on November 14.
  • A BookMyShow check reported 12 shows in Delhi-NCR and 7 in Mumbai for Agra versus roughly 2,400 for a concurrent big-budget title.
  • The appeal seeks transparent screen-allocation criteria, at least one post-6 pm show for indie releases, regular showcase cycles, and public–private support for a national indie circuit.
  • The statement warns that streamers increasingly tie acquisitions to theatrical performance, creating a closed loop that disadvantages films denied screens.
  • Signatories include Nandita Das, Payal Kapadia, Vasan Bala, Rima Das, Varun Grover, Chaitanya Tamhane, and others, with no immediate exhibitor or policy changes reported.