New Delhi, Sep 4 (UNI) The Producers Guild of India (PGI) on Friday slammed the 'relentless attacks' on the reputation of the Indian film industry across all media, saying that the death of Sushant Singh Rajput is being used as a tool to defame and slander the industry and its members.
The PGI penned an open letter, saying, "The last few months have seen relentless attacks on the reputation of the Indian film industry across all media. The tragic death of a promising young star has been used by some as a tool to defame and slander the film industry and it's members.
'A picture has been painted of the industry as a terrible place for outsiders to aspire to; a place that treats those who dare to enter it with contempt and derision; a murky den of substance abuse and criminality."
"This narrative is salacious enough for the media to exploit to great effect, in order to boost its ratings, readership and page views," it said.
"But, it is not the truth. Like any other sector, there is no doubt that the film industry has its imperfections, and there must always be an ongoing attempt by any industry to improve upon itself, learn and evolve, while weeding out unsavoury elements or improper practices that hold it back.
'But to paint an entire industry with the same brush, is a gross misrepresentation of reality," the letter read.
"The film industry employs hundreds of thousands of people, boosts travel and tourism and is one of the most important sources of soft power for India across the world.
'It has entertained hundreds of millions of people for over a century and has brought joy, honour and glory to the nation. It has welcomed and embraced talent from across the country - from the worlds of literature, poetry, art and music - and has drawn them in, to create a unique cinematic language," it said.
'This has ensured that we are one of the few countries in the world to still have a vibrant and thriving local film industry across multiple languages, despite the decades-long onslaught of Hollywood.
'The industry has contributed generously to national causes in times of need, and has readily offered its resources - name recognition, time and funds - whenever called upon to do so, and often even without having to be called upon," the Guild said.
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