MeToo Movement and its likely impact on Onam releases

Asif Ali’s Kishkindha Kaandam is set to release on the same day as the film starring Tovino Thomas. The Malayalam film gained momentum after the launch of its trailer, which hinted at an investigative thriller with a unique plot.

Antony Varghese Pepe’s Kondal is being touted as an action film. The film has high expectations as Pepe is known for his action films.

Director Omar Lulu’s Bad boys is a comedy entertainer, starring Rahman, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Babu Antony, Saiju Kurup and Tini Tom in lead roles. Kondal And Bad boys will be in cinemas from September 13.

Onam releases 2024: Four Malayalam films to entertain audiences

The ‘dented image’ of Malayalam cinema

Interestingly enough, the Onam The releases of 2024 films have generated less buzz, with industry insiders attributing the reason to the “dented image” of Mollywood in the wake of the Metoo movement.

They are confident that the sexual assault allegations against senior actors, filmmakers and technicians are all likely to have an impact on the Malayalam cinema industry during the festive season.

Justice Commission K Hema submits its report to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. (X)

They also pointed out the silence of veteran actors Mohanlal and Mammootty on the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report, which left their fans and film buffs stunned.

The redacted version of the report exposed persistent problems such as gender discrimination, unequal pay, casting couch and exploitation of women in Malayalam cinema.

Mohanlal recently broke his silence and stated that the recent events should not harm the industry. He also noted that 2024 was a good year for Malayalam cinema and the momentum should continue.

Mammootty too expressed similar concerns and stressed that the Malayalam film industry must survive.

Amid these dire circumstances, screenwriter-director PS Arjun believes the report’s findings and the MeToo movement could impact the company’s business operations. Onam releases. “From a business perspective, film promotions have not been at full speed since the release of the Justice Hema Committee Report. The media and the public are all talking about sex scandals and gossips instead of films,” he said. South First.

Arjun noted that OTT deals for the upcoming festive releases could also suffer as the digital streaming platforms typically do not support projects where actors or directors are accused of sexual harassment.

However, the young writer-filmmaker hopes that those who demand “adjustments” and “compromises” from female actors by offering them money or roles will, at least temporarily, stop doing so.

‘Don’t destroy Malayalam cinema’: Mohanlal on Hema committee report

Theater owners remain hopeful

Onam is a major festive season in the Malayalam film industry. Most of the films are targeted at the family audience as the long holiday season promises good collections.

A theatre owner from Kochi told South First that they have high expectations of Onam releases this year as well. While expressing his disappointment over the underwhelming performance of Vijay’s GOAT In Kerala he hoped that the upcoming Malayalam films would generate money for the cinemas.

Another exhibitor from the city noted that neither the report nor the Metoo movement has had an impact on the theatre world and exuded confidence about the Onam releases. “If there are good films with solid content, people will flock to the cinema. It’s just that there are no great films at the moment, except Nunakuzhi And Vaazha“, he said South First.

A film critic joined the conversation on condition of anonymity. He said South First that it cannot be assumed that the public avoids theatres because of the findings in the report, since Vaazha And Nunakuzhi continue to do well at the box office.

Nevertheless, a renowned producer South First spoke to described the sex scandals and harassment as a blot on the image of Mollywood. He said that all this dark side of the industry is likely to affect the business of the Onam releases.

Producers’ perspective

Vice Chairman of KFPA, G Suresh Kumar. (Wikimedia)

Meanwhile, representatives of the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Film Chamber have raised concerns over the financial burden caused by double taxation.

G Suresh Kumar, vice-chairman of KFPA, alleged that Malayalam film producers are struggling due to a severe financial crisis. He said that they have urged the state government to abolish entertainment tax and also raised concerns over the exorbitant fees being demanded by actors.

Suresh Kumar further revealed that the producers have also sought bank support for the financing of the film.

The KFPA recently wrote a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that gender equality in a creative sector like the film industry cannot be solved.

“The idea of ​​equal pay for women and men in creative roles such as acting, directing, screenwriting, cinematography and editing is impractical. Compensation in these industries is determined by market value and creative excellence, and is entirely at the discretion of the producer,” the letter reads.

In addition, the organization pointed out that equal pay for men and women in art, makeup, costumes and dubbing has been in place for a number of years. “There can be no reservation for women in the industry and their entry must be organic,” the letter added.

Further, the KFPA pointed out that the Justice Hema Committee’s recommendation to set up an independent tribunal to resolve complaints is unclear as Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) are already operational on film sets.

Also read: Kerala HC slams state for failing to act on Hema commission report for five years

What’s in store for Mollywood?

In the first half of 2024, Malayalam cinemas saw major hits like Manjummel Boys, In advance, Bramayugam, Aavesham, Aadujeevitham, Turbo, Guruvayoor Ambala NadayilAnd ThalavanThese films helped Malayalam cinema generate a revenue of over ₹700 crore.

After May, however, there were no more super hits. Films like Grrr, Ullozhuku, GaganachariAnd Crossroads received warm responses from both audiences and critics.

Adios Amigo, Bharathanatyam, images, NunakuzhiAnd Vaazha—released in August—came as a breather for exhibitors. Director Anand Menen’s Vaazha became a sensational hit and continues to pack houses, grossing over ₹40 crore (till September 6).

Nevertheless, after the recent events, Mohanlal’s directorial debut Barroz—originally scheduled for release on October 3—has been delayed. Likewise, it remains unclear when Mammootty’s Bazooka will attract attention.

The Kerala High Court criticised the state government for its inaction on the Hema Commission report. (Facebook)

Meanwhile, the future of the Malayalam film industry seems uncertain, especially in view of the Kerala High Court’s intervention in the Justice Hema Commission report.

A legal expert said South First that now that the Hema Commission report is in court, the government cannot remain passive. “If the special bench of the Supreme Court orders the police to file an FIR based on any testimony mentioned in the report, especially regarding top actors or prominent figures, they will face serious consequences.”

On Tuesday, September 10, the special court ordered the special investigation team to clarify whether the report identified any criminal offenses that could be classified as such and what measures could be taken.

The court also expressed deep shock at the Kerala government’s inaction on the Justice Hema Commission report despite the report being submitted in 2019.

The High Court noted that the report could lead to registration of rape and POCSO cases. It also questioned the government’s claim that there were no grounds to file charges against abusers in the Malayalam film industry.

With only a few hours left before the Onam releases in theatres, let’s see what Mollywood has to offer!

(Edited by Y Krishna Jyothi)

Also read: WCC meets Kerala Chief Minister, asks for privacy, safety for complainants