Mollywood distributors' threat to recall running films

Kochi: The crisis in Mollywood worsened on Wednesday with film distributors threatening to withdraw films  - that are running in movie halls under the exhibitors federation – from Friday unless the current stalemate is solved by Thursday and Xmas releases are allowed to be screened in the movie halls under them.

They have taken this step in support of the producers of the movies which are set to be released on Friday. The current stalemate is over sharing of the revenue between exhibitors and distributors.

The new measure will mainly affect films like ‘Puli Murugan’ and ‘Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan’ which are hits and are running. Actor and director Nadhir Shah confirmed to DC on Wednesday that the screening of his film ‘Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan’ would be stopped at the theatres listed under the Kerala Exhibitors Federation. “Yes, my film will be withdrawn from those theatres soon. But the screening at theatres under the Kerala State Film Development Corporation will continue,” said Nadhir Shah.

The talks convened by the Culture Minister A. K. Balan on Tuesday between producers, distributors and exhibitors failed to produce any result despite the Minister’s promising to appoint a judicial commission to sort out issues between them. The exhibitors want the issues to be settled rather than have a commission be appointed to go into it.

The exhibitors demand an increase of 10 percent in their share from the revenue of the first week of the release of the new movies. However, this is not acceptable to distributors who have the backing of producers as well. Exhibitors want 50:50 in a/c halls from the current 50:40 while in non-a/c halls this should be revised to 55:45 from the current 65:35.

Informal talks are still going on between these three stakeholders through intermediaries and a solution may be reached before the final hour on Friday, said sources.