The crisis gripping the Malayalam film industry has been resolved following marathon discussions Minister for Cinema and Forests K.B. Ganesh Kumar had with representatives of fraternal organisations of the industry here on Friday.
Briefing reporters about the outcome of the talks he had with the Kerala Film Producers Association, Film Employees Federation Kerala (FEFKA), and Kerala Film Exhibitors Association, Mr. Ganesh Kumar said that a joint consultative committee comprising six members each of the three organisations and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) would be formed to iron out the problems arising in the industry from time to time. The Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation did not participate in the talks.
Shooting of films should not extend beyond 10 p.m. No decision had been made on revising the allowance of light boys. For the time being the existing rates would continue. A revision would be considered only after another round of talks.
General body meet
The producers' association which had stopped the production of films would announce the withdrawal of the strike after holding a general body meeting within three days. The Minister hoped that the talks would help to resolve the crisis dogging the industry. A consensus was imperative in the industry. At present there was no facility for Keralites to watch Malayalam films. This could not be tolerated. Those opposing theatre classification, wide release of films and computerised ticketing were getting isolated. The government would not yield to such protests, he said.
FEFKA president Sibi Malayil and Kerala State Cultural Activists Welfare Fund Board chairman G. Suresh Kumar were among those participated in the talks.
