Law, communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 13th October withdrew his remarks on the health of the economy, a day after his comments led to a major controversy. The social and other media poked fun at the minister for relying on box-office collections to underline his point that there was no economic slowdown or recession in the country.

Prasad was in Bombay to address a press conference on 12th October. Quoting your editor, Komal Nahta, he said that the business of Rs. 120 crore done by three movies (War, Syeraa Narasimha Reddy and Hollywood’s Joker) in a single day (2nd October) indicated that there was no economic slowdown. Although the minister meant to use the box-office, among other things, as an indicator of the general health of the country, the media castigated him for taking recourse to a box-office figure to negate the existence of recession. Opposition party members also poked fun at Ravi Shankar Prasad for quoting film collections to measure the health of the economy.

PROUD MOMENT FOR
FILM INFORMATION

It was a moment of pride for Film Information when its editor, Komal Nahta, was quoted by minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 12th October at his press conference in Bombay. The minister said “According to noted trade analyst Komal Nahta, three films collected Rs. 120 crore at the box-office in a single day (2nd October).

Although the minister had to withdraw his comment the next day, he maintained that his comment was factually correct.

Prasad said on 13th that his statement was “twisted out of context” and saying this, he withdrew his comment. Reacting to the media outrage that followed his comments, Prasad on 13th said from Patna, “My comments made on Saturday in Mumbai about three films making Rs. 120 crore in a single day — the highest ever — was a factually correct statement. I had stated this as I was in Mumbai — the film capital of India. We are very proud of our film industry which provides employment to lakhs of people and contributes significantly by way of taxes.” He added, “I had also explained in detail about the various measures the government has taken as pro-people moves to strengthen our economy. The entire video of my media interaction is available on my social media (feed). Yet, I regret to note that one part of my statement has been completely twisted out of context. Being a sensitive person, I withdraw the comment.”