The Dona Planet multiplex displays posters of Aap ka Surroor. Picture by Eastern Projections

July 8: Assamese cinema and local entrepreneurs in the city have received a helping hand from unexpected quarters.

Breaking away from its traditional roles, Cinemax India Limited has committed itself to the regional cause.

Seeking to promote local cinema, Cinemax, which has the maximum number of screens in Mumbai, will screen a movie from the second week of its release.

Cinemax Dona Planet in the city is the twelfth such facility of the company in the country and the first of its kind in the Northeast.

Its recent endeavour is to encourage a promising entrepreneur from the tea community of the state, Ajay Majhi, who had managed to acquire the distribution rights of the Himesh Reshammiya-starrer Aap Ka Surroor for the Northeast.

A first-generation entrepreneur from the tea tribe community of the state, Majhi was struggling to screen the movie. “Two theatres in the city were ready to screen the movie from the first day of its release. However, I was left in the lurch after one theatre later refused to do so,” Majhi, a student leader-turned-film distributor, said.

Debojit Phukan, general manager of Cinemax India, said higher authorities of the company in Mumbai have taken the decision to screen the movie from the second week of its release, keeping in mind the request of the local tea community and the popularity of the movie.

He said Cinemax is committed to promote regional movies and encourage local entrepreneurs, in an effort to revive the lost glory of Assamese cinema.

Phukan also mentioned a proposal to screen Joymoti, the first Assamese film by iconic filmmaker Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla.

Joymoti, which was based on a story by Sahityarathi Lakhsminath Bezbaruah, was released at Raunak Cinema Hall in Calcutta in March 10, 1935. If the proposal materialises, Joymoti will also become the first Assamese film to be screened in a multiplex.

Majhi, who was the former city president of Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association (ATTSA), has recently forayed into film distributorship and Aap Ka Surroor is his first major release.

“I am thankful to Cinemax that despite having a reputation of screening movies from the first day of its release, they agreed to screen the movie from its second week, following a request from the tea community,” Phukan said. “Though we have space constraints, we will give top priority to regional films.”

Assamese cinema has been lately been in dire straits, with cinema halls like the Udeshna being forced to close down. Though Phukan refused to comment, sources in the local film industry said Cinemax plans to spring a surprise for the Guwahatians by announcing the screening of a Bollywood blockbuster that is being dubbed in Assamese.

It also plans to be the first to screen some of Assamese films, which are awaiting the Censor Board’s nod.

“One of our main objectives is to promote local talent,” Phukan added.