No end seems to be in sight for the crisis in the Malayalam film industry with a general body meeting of the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation in the city on Thursday deciding not to go back on its stance in the dispute with producers and distributors over sharing revenue from theatres.
With the producers and the distributors having decided to withdraw the already released films from the theatres on Friday, unless the exhibitors climbed down on their demand for increased theatre revenue, the crisis by all likelihood is set to prolong than initially expected.
The producers and the distributors were reportedly looking forward to the general body meeting of the exhibitors to reassess their position. As the crisis deepened, the distributors association issued notices to the theatres cancelling the right to exhibit Malayalam films.
The intransigence is likely to cost hit movies such as Pulimurugan and Kattappanayile Hrithik Roshan as they would be withdrawn from theatres on Friday despite their good run at the box office.
The crisis had its genesis in the exhibitors’ demand for 50 per cent of revenue share from the theatres as against the present 40. However, this demand was shot down by the producers and the distributors.
A meeting ground could not be found though multiple discussions were held even in the presence of Culture Minister A.K. Balan. This meant that, for the first time in recent memory, no Malayalam films were released during Christmas, considered one of the most lucrative seasons for movies.
With the Malayalam movies now being screened in theatres also set to be withdrawn, the other language movies will have a free run at the theatres. Already Aamir Khan’s Hindi flick Dangal is enjoying countless daily screenings at multiplexes and theatres.
