Kerala Film Chamber To Hold Discussion With Ministers: Puts Strike Plan On Hold

The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) decided to consult with the state government and put on hold the indefinite strike, which was planned from June 1.

The decision came following the meeting between the Minister for Cultural Affairs, Saji Cherian, and the general secretary of the Kerala Film Chamber, Saji Nanthyatt, on Wednesday.

As per the reports, Saji Nanthyattu confirmed that the Cultural Affairs Minister has agreed to hold a meeting with the key stakeholder in the industry on March 10. The outcome of the discussion will determine the further proceedings or withdrawal of the strike.

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About the upcoming meeting, Nanthyattu said that the interventions of multiple governmental departments, including the local government, finance, cultural affairs and KSEB, were required to resolve the issue.

He also added that the chamber has decided to send a letter to the CM and Cultural Affairs Minister to hold a meeting before March 15. He further confirmed that if the meeting fails to find a solution for the current issues of the industry, the chamber will proceed with the indefinite strike. Moreover, the chamber has also issued notices to the theaters to take permission from the chamber to release films after June 1.

Since the remuneration of actors, technicians, and directors are high, the film association has been demonizing the state government to cooperate with relaxation in entertainment tax through cutting double taxation and other subsidies.

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However, this move of the film association was opposed by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and a section of Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) also argued that the wide shutdown will lead to a significant financial loss. Addressing this, Nanthyatt also revealed that the association has planned to hold a separate meeting with AMMA to address the concerns regarding actors’ remuneration.

The meeting held in Kochi was attended by the representatives of the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), the Kerala Film Distributors Association, the FEFKA, and the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEOUK).