Karnataka: Protest against dubbed serial

BANGALORE: Members of Karnataka Television Association and Kannada serial artistes staged a protest at the Zee Kannada channel office for telecasting the dubbed version of Hindi serial Jhansi Ki Rani on Monday.Around 35 members of the association with their president  Ravi Kiran and other office-bearers were arrested by the Ashoknagar police for allegedly ‘ransacking’ the  Zee Kannada channel office at the United Mansions on M G Road.DetailsPolice said that the artistes barged into the channel office, destroyed window panes, computers and other valuables. The artistes including Ravi Kiran, Abhinaya and others were arrested following a complaint by the channel management. Ravi Kiran, after his release, told media persons that Zee management has agreed to withdraw the complaint. “We also have the support of two cable operators who have decided not to show any of these TV programmes for a few days. We have not ransacked the channel. Instead, we went to protest after they telecast the dubbed serial. The Zee management has also agreed to render apology for telecasting a dubbed serial,” he said.A G Seshadri, an office-bearer of the association, said that they kept requesting the channel not to telecast the dubbed serial. This request is being made since the last three months. But on Monday, the channel which showed the promos in the morning and telecast the serial in the afternoon. “When we requested, the channel had assured of not telecasting such serials. But later they telecast it,” he added. ‘It will affect families’Another office-bearer Pushpaswamy said that if the TV channels start telecasting dubbed serials, then around 10,000 people who are dependent on the serials for their livelihood will come to streets.A few other artistes and other association members who had gathered outside the Ashoknagar police station demanded the Zee management to come in public and tender apology. Meanwhile, it is said that producer Sihi Kahi Chandru said that the Zee channel had issued an apology letter and the association should also tender an apology letter to the channel for having ransacked the channel premises. However there were mixed reactions to Chandru’s demand, the police gave details.