After questions were raised over the earnings figures of some of the recent hits of the Malayalam film industry, the Kerala Film Producers Association has issued a warning to producers against indulging in unhealthy practices that could be detrimental to the industry as a whole.
The action comes soon after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned the makers of the hit film. Manjummel Boys In one cheating case, a man had claimed that he was not paid the promised share in the profits from a film. The ED is also reportedly probing the production cost and collection records of some recent hit films.
In recent times, there have been allegations from within the industry that some producers are indulging in the practice of booking a large number of tickets in the initial days after a film’s release, to create a false impression that the film will receive a greater audience response.
The Association will take action against producers found involved in such activities, as well as against PR agencies assisting them in this purpose.
The association also decided to take legal action against a private agency, Minimax, which allegedly duped producers by promising lucrative streaming rights deals with Jio Cinema. The association brought the issue to the notice of Jio Cinema, whose officials clarified that the company did not use the services of any other agency or intermediaries to negotiate for OTT rights of films.
Another decision of the association is to crack down on individuals making financial gains through film reviews. Action will be taken against fake reviews based on the norms set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
