BANGALORE: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has rapped the Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce (KFCC) for imposing restrictions on the screening of non-Kannada films in Karnataka.

As reported earlier, Reliance Big Entertainment (Big Pictures) had approached the CCI challenging the restrictions by the KFCC on the number of prints of a non-Kannada film that could be released in Karnataka during the simultaneous release of the Hind and Tamil versions of ‘Raavan’. As per the KFCC rules, a non-Kannada cinema can be screened only in 24 halls in the state with a maximum of 21 in Bangalore. Big Pictures is the distributor of the film.

In an interim order on 9 September, the CCI stated that the KFCC was in a dominant position in the relevant market (Karnataka) and was imposing unfair, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable restrictions on the supply of films for exhibition of Big Pictures.

The order further stated: "KFCC has been restrained from taking any action and from imposing restrictions, direct or indirect, to prevent any producer/distributor in relation to supply of prints of the films (Kannada and non-Kannada) to the informant (Reliance) if the producers/distributors are willing and desirous to supply the same to the informant for exhibition in Karnataka."

The order is effective till September 21, the next hearing date.

A few weeks ago Big Pictures had decided to put on hold its plans for Kannada cinema, sources said.