The divide among prominent film organizations in Malayalam cinema appears to be escalating, as the Actors’ Union known as the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) is standing firmly against the strike proposed earlier by the Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA). Various industry groups within Kerala had previously announced a strike set to commence on June 1st, attributing their decision to the considerable financial hardships faced by producers and distributors, which they linked to elevated entertainment taxes and increasing salaries for actors. Consequently, AMMA’s choice to distance itself from the strike may exacerbate tensions between these entities.
This resolution was reached during a meeting held at AMMA’s office in Kochi on Monday, which saw the participation of approximately 50 members, including notable actors such as Mohanlal, Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Manju Pillai, Bindu Panicker, Tovino Thomas, Saikumar, Vijayaraghavan, Joju George, Biju Menon, Basil Joseph, and Ansiba Hassan. In an official announcement, AMMA stated, “Members of AMMA have resolved not to lend their support to the strike organized by a portion of Malayalam film producers.”
The statement, signed by the association’s ad-hoc committee, also highlighted that the film industry, already in a deep financial crisis, should not be pulled into a needless strike driven by the inflexibility of a few individuals, as this would complicate matters not just for the financial sector, but also for numerous workers reliant on the film industry.
On the matter of escalating actor salaries, AMMA indicated that any related decisions would be made after their upcoming general body meeting. Nevertheless, the organization expressed its openness to discussions with any industry group dedicated to the advancement and well-being of Malayalam cinema. At the same time, AMMA addressed the legal notice issued by KFPA concerning Jayan Cherthala, a member of the ad-hoc committee, over his allegation that the producers’ association sought financial support from AMMA. Providing full legal backing to Jayan, AMMA indirectly confirmed his assertion that KFPA had requested Rs 1 crore for constructing an office, noting that while AMMA had granted the money, the producers’ association had not yet fully repaid this amount.
Additionally, the executive committee of the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) held a meeting during the day, reaffirming its support for the strike initiated by KFPA. KFCC also urged producer Antony Perumbavoor to take down his controversial post on Facebook. Meanwhile, KFPA’s vice-president G Suresh Kumar declared that the association would persist in publicly revealing the real box office earnings of all theatrical releases, clarifying that he would not engage in dialogue with Antony Perumbavoor regarding the contentious Facebook post.
