The Malayalam film industry has introduced a set of workplace reforms aimed at improving conditions for crew members, including shorter working hours, uniform on-set facilities and enhanced compensation for overtime and night work.
The changes were formalised on Monday when the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) signed a new agreement in Kochi revising work schedules and standardising amenities such as food and facilities at shooting locations, TNIE reported.
FEFKA general secretary B Unnikrishnan said the daily work duration has been brought down from 16 hours to 12, with productions expected to operate in multiple shifts, typically morning and afternoon. He added that the agreement also mandates one-hour breaks each for lunch and dinner, and provides for additional payment to those assigned night duties or overtime.
Unnikrishnan said both organisations would conduct regular inspections at film sets to ensure that the revised terms are properly implemented. He also pointed out that shooting delays are often caused when actors do not follow agreed schedules, forcing technicians and crew to wait after sets are prepared. He argued that the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) should therefore be included as a signatory to the agreement.
Representatives of the film bodies also raised concerns about actors’ high remuneration and their limited involvement in promotional activities. KFPA secretary Listin Stephen said the association had written to AMMA seeking discussions on actors’ fees, noting that the industry is facing heavy losses, with the vast majority of films failing at the box office.
Responding to FEFKA’s demand for a revision in crew salaries, which have not been updated for over three years, Stephen said that a pay hike was not feasible at present given the financial strain on producers.