The ongoing release crisis in Mollywood will continue as Tuesday’s crucial meeting between Producers’ association and film exhibitors’ federation, convened by minister AK Balan, failed to reach a consensus.
At the meeting held in Palakkad, the Kerala Film Exhibitors’ Federation, the association of A Class theatre owners in the state, stood firm in their demand for 50 per cent share of ticket revenues. Although the minister asked the unions to solve the issue ahead of Christmas, one of the biggest seasons for the industry, all the unions refused to yield.
Mollywood has been stuck in a pandemonium since last week over the revenue sharing issue. No Malayalam film was released in theatres on December 16, and the four big budget films, scheduled to release on December 23, will be put on hold. All the four films – Dulquer Salmaan’s Jomonte Suvisheshangal, Mohanlal’s Munthiri Vallikal Thalirkkumbol, director Siddique’s Fukri and Prithviraj’s Ezra – have completed their censor process and are ready for theatrical release.
The issues began after the Kerala Film Exhibitors’ Federation, an association of ‘A’ class theatre owners in the State, demanded a 50 percent revenue share as against the current revenue sharing ratio of 40 percent for exhibitors and 60 percent for producers.
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G Suresh Kumar, president of the Kerala Producers’ Association, told the Deccan Chronicle that the exhibitors’ demand was “unrealistic’”. He said, “This means the producer will get just half the revenue. We cannot agree [to] that as it does not benefit the producer, who funds the film facing many risks. That is why the association members unanimously decided to hold the release.”
Reportedly, the release crisis will cause a loss of more than Rs 30 crore to the industry.
The crisis has not affected the release of Tamil-Hindi films like Dangal and Kaththi Sandai. Both are scheduled to release later this month.