/popdiaries/media/agency_attachments/eUu3OdrwfcUMDnu5wh3H.png)
/popdiaries/media/media_files/EAbarHAu1wlIZWIotHLu.png)
Follow UsKerala's film industry is in turmoil as theatres affiliated with the Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) have announced a boycott of new Malayalam films slated for release from Thursday, February 22. This decision comes in response to the Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) allegedly imposing conditions on theatres regarding the screening of films.
FEUOK president Vijayakumar stated that the protest is against the KFPA's demand that new films be exclusively screened in theatres equipped with projection systems capable of handling content mastered at the KFPA's facility in Kochi. He claimed that this demand has delayed the inauguration of several new cinema halls in Kerala.
The KFPA and the Film Distributors’ Association have retaliated by declaring that they will not cooperate with theatres that do not screen films as per the scheduled release dates. This standoff has put anticipated releases like Soubin Shahir's 'Manjummel Boys' at risk.
FEUOK has also presented additional demands to the producers, including adherence to a 42-day gap between theatrical and OTT releases, and a request for producers to cover the Virtual Print Fee (VPF) paid to digital service providers (DSPs).
ALSO READ: Delving into South Indian Actors' Sky-High Fees, Mirroring Their High-Octane Stardom!
The ban will not affect films currently running in theatres, providing some relief for movies like Mammootty’s 'Bramayugam', Naslen-Mamitha starrer 'Premalu', and Tovino’s 'Anveshippin Kandethum'. The situation underscores the challenges facing Kerala's film industry, with exhibitors and producers locked in a dispute that threatens to disrupt the release of new films in the state.