Malayalam cinema goes on complete shutdown, no film shoots, movie screening from June 1 for THESE reasons

Various Malayalam film bodies, which have been in regular consultations on issues facing the industry, on Thursday called for a total shutdown of all film activities, including shooting and screening of films, from June 1.

Making this announcement here, leading producer G. Suresh Kumar said that this industry which is already in the doldrums with film after film bombing at the box office, leaving the producers in a quandary.

"There is no industry which is being taxed at 30 per cent and it includes GST besides additional entertainment tax. The government has to step in and withdraw this," said Suresh Kumar who is the father of National Award-winning actress Keerthi Suresh.

"The remuneration of actors and others has skyrocketed like never before and it has to be scaled down. 60 per cent of the cost of a film is gobbled up by remuneration to the actors which is hugely detrimental to a producer. They (actors) have no concern for this and we just cannot go forward in this manner," added Suresh whose wife Maneka was a hugely popular actress of the yesteryears.

"Even the new actors charge a hefty fee and so is the same with directors too. A film that can be finished in 50 days gets over in 150 days. Not even 10 per cent is recovered from the theatres compared to the remuneration of the actors. We will not cooperate with the films produced by the actors," he said.

Elaborating on the situation, he said during the calendar year, 176 Malayalam films bombed at the box office. During January 2025, the loss for the theatres alone was Rs 101 crore.

"As many as 60 per cent of the film industry professionals who eke out a living working behind the screens are in dire straits. The state government is silent and presently, the situation is the OTT market has dried up and if a film is received well at the box office, then the OTT market offers a sum... to receive the committed amount, it takes six to ten months," Suresh Kumar said.

(Except for the headline, the copy is not edited by DNA staff, and is published from IANS)