The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) shut down the filming location for the popular reality show Bigg Boss Kannada, Jollywood Studios near Bidadi, because of serious environmental infractions. The shutdown has caused a political firestorm, with the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) party blaming Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for it.
The closing and leaving
The KSPCB told Vels Studios and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., which runs Jollywood Studios, to close because they didn’t have “consent for establishment” or “consent for operation.”
After the order, basic services, including electricity and water connections, were cut off.
The show just started its new season with actor Kiccha Sudeep as the host, and all 17 candidates were quickly relocated to Eagleton Resort.
The channel later apologized to fans, saying that the episode that was interrupted by the shutdown was published to JioHotstar after a delay.
JD(S) Attacks Shivakumar After Video Comes Back
JD(S) leaders jumped on the event right away and used it to launch a strong attack on DK Shivakumar. They brought out an old footage in which the Deputy CM had already spoken out against the Kannada film industry and said:
The Allegation: JD(S) said that the Deputy CM was getting “revenge” on the film business and called him a “nut-bolt minister.”
The Comment: Earlier this year, Shivakumar said that actors should back the government’s “Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku” (Our Water, Our Right) campaign. He said he knew “who should tighten the nut and bolt where.” Since then, the video has gone viral, and opposition parties are accusing Shivakumar of purposely going after the entertainment industry.
Shivakumar Denies Claims and Says He Will Do Something
DK Shivakumar quickly denied the JD(S)’s charges as politically driven, saying that the opposition party “can’t gain strength, sleep, or peace” if they don’t talk about him. But he also stressed that rules must be followed:
Follow the Rules: “I was the one who opened Jollywood Studios… If private parties have made a mistake, they need to fix it. There should be more entertainment shows like Bigg Boss, but there need to be restrictions.
Assurance for Resumption: He also said that he had told officials and talked to the KSPCB chairman to give the show the go-ahead to start up again after all compliance issues had been taken care of.
Studio Asks Court for Temporary Help
At the same time, Welles Studios, the studio’s parent business, has admitted that some KSPCB rules were not fully followed, even though they had valid licenses.
The corporation has asked for temporary authorization to start filming again and 15 days to fix the environmental problems.
The Karnataka High Court is now hearing the matter, and the studio is asking for a stay on the decision to close. If the stay is granted, production might start up again right away. If they don’t get permission, the show’s creators may have to reconstruct the set somewhere else, which would cause even more delays.