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.

AICWA on Pyre

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.