Guwahati, Sept. 7: Legislators in the Assam Assembly cutting across party lines today sought the government's intervention regarding compulsory screening of local films in cinemas across the state, following a controversy over singer Zubeen Garg's film, Mission China, scheduled to be released tomorrow.

Raising the issue during the zero hour, BJP legislator and actor Angoorlata Deka said screening of Assamese films during prime time in multiplexes should be made compulsory. 'Hall owners remove the local-language films to slot big-budget Hindi films. Even if some agree to screen the local films, they slot them for mornings or late nights. Viewers generally don't visit cinemas in the morning in weekdays and that's how the local movies miss out on viewership. Since the multiplexes are run by corporate groups, their bosses call the shots sitting in Mumbai or New Delhi,' she said.

The controversy erupted after Cinepolis, a multiplex here, allegedly refused to allow a premiere of Mission China, forcing the producer to shift it to PVR Cinema tomorrow. Although Cinepolis cited technical problems, many here suspected that the local film was neglected because of poor viewership.

The film has been directed and produced by Zubeen, along with his wife Garima Saikia Garg under the banner of I Creation Productions. It features Zubeen and Deeplina Deka in lead roles.

Zubeen said the film, made on a budget of Rs 2 crore, is the most expensive film in the history of Assamese cinema.

'If the multiplexes in south India, Maharashtra and Bengal can screen local films, why can't they do so in Assam? Our government should intervene and direct the hall owners to allot the local films in prime time,' Angoorlata, who acted in 11 Assamese films, TV serials and music videos, said.

Satyabrat Kalita of the AGP, a state government ally, said, 'The hall owners should be fined for neglecting local films.' Abdul Khaleque and Rekibuddin Ahmed of the Congress, Bhaben Bharali, Gurujyoti Das and Pranabjyoti Kalita of the BJP echoed the AGP leader.

Cultural affairs minister Naba Kumar Doley said the state film policy did not have any provision to force hall owners to screen local-language movies. The legislators demanded that the policy be amended.