Malayalam film industry to go on strike from June 1 onwards

A joint meeting of the film bodies in the Malayalam film industry on Thursday decided to go on a strike from June 1 onwards demanding an end to the double taxation on movie tickets and a salary cut by the actors in view of the rising cost of film production.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), Film Employees Federation of Kerala, Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala, and the Kerala Film Distributors Association.

B. Rakesh, secretary of KFPA, said that the entire film business will come to a standstill from June 1 onwards. He said that the industry is staring at a crisis following the dip in box-office collections and soaring pay packet of the actors.

The film bodies will meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan before June 1 to apprise him about the crisis and to place the request to end the double taxation system on movie tickets, which included the Goods and Services Tax and entertainment tax levied by the local bodies. Mr. Rakesh said that the action by the enforcement agencies against piracy has to be stepped up as it had turned a major threat to the industry.