Malayalam Film Industry Announces Shutdown from June 1

The Malayalam Film Industry has announced a shutdown starting June 1 in response to the steep Goods and Services Tax rates and rising actors salaries. The shutdown will affect all film related activities including screenings shoots and production. The decision was made after a meeting between several film bodies including the Kerala Film Producers Association and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala.

The Kerala film industry is seeking a rollback of the 30 percent GST levied on films as well as a reduction in actors salaries. According to film producer and president of the Film Chamber of Kerala G Suresh Kumar the industry has suffered significant losses due to the high GST rates and rising production costs. Out of 28 releases so far this year only one film Rekhachitram has been profitable resulting in an overall loss of ₹101 crore for the industry.

The Malayalam Film Industry is facing significant challenges due to rising input costs and falling box office earnings. According to Suresh Kumar 60 percent of production expenses go toward paying actors fees and films often extend beyond their scheduled duration adding to the financial strain. The industry is struggling to recover production costs with box office earnings barely covering 10 percent of expenses.

The Kerala film industry shutdown is a desperate measure to draw attention to the industry struggles. The industry is seeking government intervention to address the issues of high GST rates rising actors salaries and falling box office earnings. The shutdown is expected to have a significant impact on the industry with many films and projects being put on hold.