12 November,2026 11:46 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Pyre (Pic/X)
The screen allocation controversy surrounding Vinod Kapri's Pyre has now reached the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) stepping in. The body has written to the I&B Minister, alleging unfair treatment of the small-budget film after Ramayana: Rise of a Legend arrived in theatres. It has also sought an inquiry into the matter.
In a letter addressed to the I&B Minister, AICWA president Suresh Shyamlal Gupta highlighted how Vinod Kapri's Pyre, made on a budget of just Rs 2.5 crore, initially expanded from 80 to nearly 400 screens following a positive word-of-mouth response. The letter reiterated the filmmaker's allegations that the film's screen count was brought down to fewer than 100 despite its encouraging audience response, following the release of Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.
"I do not oppose Ramayana: Rise of Legend. It is a large-budget film that has given work to hundreds of workers, technicians, junior artists and artists across every department. It should succeed, so that producers profit and workers are paid on time. But a big film's success should not come at the cost of a small film that audiences are already embracing," the AICWA president wrote.
Citing the success of small-budget films like HanuMan, Gupta also called for fair opportunities for independent cinema. "Small-budget films are the backbone of Indian cinema. They are the largest number of films made each year, and they give new and genuine talent its first opportunity. Their producers raise money with great difficulty and wait years to reach theatres, where they get very few screens. Most small films do not succeed, and when even a film that is working is removed, small producers will stop making films, new artists will lose their chance, and lakhs of workers will lose employment," he added.
The letter also outlined a set of demands, including a âFair Screen Allocation Policy for Indian Cinema from the Central Government' and a âgrievance redressal mechanism to protect independent and small-budget films'.
Specifically addressing the case of Pyre, the AICWA urged the I&B Minister to initiate an âimpartial inquiry into why Pyre was reduced from about 400 screens to under 100 despite a positive audience response'. It further demanded that FIRs be registered against theatre owners and distributors found guilty following the inquiry. The body also called for the restoration of the âmaximum possible screens and shows for Pyre while the inquiry is on, so that audiences who want to see it can do so'.
Filmmaker Vinod Kapri is dismayed at how his labour of love, Pyre, has been sidelined after Ramayana: Rise of a Legend hit the screens on November 5. In an Instagram post on November 7, the director alleged that Pyre, in its second week, lost nearly 75 per cent of its shows. As per India Today, the filmmaker has taken the independent submission route to submit his film, Pyre, to the 99th Academy Awards.
