Shutdown pushes Malayalam film industry into dire straits

Thiruvananthapuram, June 27 (IANS): A total shutdown has pushed Malayalam film industry into dire straits, coming on the heels of year-long squabbles between actors and producers that were settled only a month back.

About 800 cinema houses in the state downed shutters from June 25 and about 25 films have stopped at various stages of production because of the shutdown called by the Kerala Film Chamber, a body of producers and distributors.

The shutdown has thrown out of work about 500,000 people directly and indirectly depending on the industry.

The indefinite shutdown has been called in support of several demands including reduction of entertainment tax and electricity tariff as well as action against video piracy.

"Kerala levies the highest entertainment tax at 48 percent as against around 25 percent in other southern states," said S. Chandran, chairman of the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation.

"Likewise, the electricity tariff is also high here and an air conditioned theatre has to pay around Rs.120,000 towards energy bills every month," he said.

Representatives of the film industry have had several meetings with the A.K. Antony government since it came to power three years ago. But the problems of the industry have persisted.

"The government is seriously looking into the issues raised by the film industry and the cabinet has appointed a four-member ministerial

sub-committee to study their issues," information minister M.M. Hassan told IANS.

"With the Lok Sabha elections having been announced, we were not in a position to complete our work.

"Film industry representatives were supposed to meet with me on June 23. Though I waited for them, they did not turn up. They decided not to come at the last minute," he said.

"We are not at all tight-fisted. We are open and hope the industry comes to meet us," Hassan added.

Chandran expressed the hope that some decision for the good of the industry would be taken at the next meeting scheduled for Monday.

"This is not the time to play on egos. Since the government is willing to meet us, I strongly feel that there should be a meeting with the

government," he added.

The squabbles between the producers and distributors on the one hand and artistes on the other over several issues including artistes' participation in stage shows that lasted nearly a year had been settled only a month ago.