Raavan's release stalled in Bihar

The release of Mani Ratnam*s Raavan was put off indefinitely in Bihar after differences cropped up between its distributor, Gopal Bharatiya, and Reliance Big Pictures.

Bharatiya said he had paid Rs 25 lakh as advance to Reliance Big Pictures to release Raavan in Bihar. He claimed he paid an additional Rs 5 lakh.u00a0

But when it was time for delivery of the prints, Bharatiya was allegedly told to cough up another Rs 10 lakh, which he flatly refused.

Differences between distributor Gopal Bharatiya and Reliance Big Pictures have put off the release of Raavan in Bihar.

Bharatiya said he would file a criminal complaint against Reliance Big Pictures.

An official from Reliance Big Pictures said they would release the film in Bihar through another distributor, Sunil Kumar.

"Bharatiya has a longstanding reputation for not living up to distribution commitments," a theatre exhibitor from Bihar said on condition of anonymity.
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"A big corporate house such as Reliance will gain nothing by misappropriating a small sum of money from a person like Bharatiya."

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