The Hindu Business Line : Kerala film industry in soup

FROM its heady days of super hits and critically acclaimed movies, Malayalam film industry has come a long way downhill, plagued by internal fights, mounting expenses and piracy.

The plight of the industry is so bad that 2004 may see just about 25-30 films hitting the screen, says Mr Siyad Kokker, President of the Kerala Film Chamber.

In 2003, the industry produced only 60 films, down from 120-odd films in 1999, he told Business Line.

"Last year, only four movies were successful at the box office," says Mr Kokker, whose Film Chamber is waging a bitter war with film stars over a number issues including compensation.

Cost of producing a Malayalam film has risen significantly over the past few years. "It takes about Rs 1-1.5 crore to make a film without casting any superstars. For films with superstars, the cost is over Rs 2 crore," he points out.

The first category of films need to run at least 50 days in theatres in main cities to recover the investments, while the superstar films need to complete a minimum of 100 days — something that rarely happens in Kerala these days.

"The number of people who would go to a theatre to watch films has come down by 50 per cent in Kerala," laments Mr K G George, noted director and President of Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA).

Mr George cites poor quality of theatres in the State - Kerala is yet to have its first multiplex - rampant piracy and above all, absence of meaningful films as the main culprits to turn audience away from theatres.

"Theatres here have failed to realise that our society has also become a consumer-oriented one. There is disregard for a consumer in a theatre today. They fail to provide the comforts a person expects," he says. "And when they go to a theatre, they find nothing new in the film."

Theatres in small towns and villages suffer the most due to piracy. "You get pirated copies of new films even in rural areas, home delivered, when the film is running in main centres. Who would then want to go to theatres," Mr George says.

According to Mr M C Boby, President of the Kerala Cine Exhibitors Association, the number of theatres in Kerala has come down to 1,009 from over 1,400 in the late 80s.

"How can we build multiplexes or improve the facilities when the Kerala Government does not offer any support to this industry? The State is yet to accord industry status to films," he says.

The entertainment tax is 48 per cent. But no incentive is being given to films, says Mr Kokker. To make matters worse, the film industry is also riddled with factionalism, with actors, technicians and producers pulling from different directions. The Film Chamber has locked horns with the actors' association over issues ranging form compensation of super stars to actors appearing in stage shows.

The chamber has warned that it would take severe action against those actors who will take part in a forthcoming stage show in Dubai. However, the artists argue that there is no logic for such interferences from producers. For now, the argument continues and the industry is in search for a right conclusion.