Kerala Film Chamber targeting Mohanlal and Antony Perumbavoor? organisation comes up with new move against Empuraan

KOCHI: The Facebook post shared by producer Antony Perumbavoor against the Film Producers' Association had sparked a huge controversy. Following this, the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce issued a notice to Antony urging him to withdraw the post, which led to new tensions in the Malayalam film industry. Now, the Film Chamber is gearing up for a new move targeting Antony Perumbavoor and Mohanlal.

A new directive requires films releasing after March 25 to obtain approval from the Film Chamber and sign an agreement. This move is seen as an attempt to block Antony Perumbavoor and Mohanlal, as their upcoming film Empuraan is set to release on March 27. Reports suggest that the Film Exhibitors United Organization of Kerala (FEUOK) fully supports this decision. The Film Chamber claims that their demand is justified and that other industry organizations are backing them.

A few days ago, Antony Perumbavoor had posted on Facebook against producer G Suresh Kumar. In his post, Antony stated that while Suresh Kumar has the democratic right to express personal opinions, as a representative of an organization, he should present only widely accepted and agreed-upon views. This, he argued, would ensure collective support within the organization.

The Film Chamber has given Antony seven days to provide an explanation regarding his post. The notice was sent via email and registered post. Failure to respond could result in further actions against him.

Meanwhile, film organizations in Kerala have announced an industry-wide strike starting June 1. The decision was taken in a joint meeting of film organizations. The strike demands include the removal of entertainment tax along with GST, as well as a reduction in the exorbitant remuneration of actors.

Despite the severe financial crisis affecting film production, actors are reportedly unwilling to reduce their fees. Producers have also pointed out that multiple attempts to hold discussions with the government regarding the entertainment tax have failed. As a result, film organizations have decided to halt both film production and theatrical screenings from June 1.