June 1 strike: Malayalam film producers remain divided

Thiruvananthapuram: Following the statement by producer Antony Perumbavur on Thursday that he has not made any decision, the Malayalam film producers remain divided on the June 1 strike.

Earlier, veteran producer G. Suresh Kumar had called for a complete shutdown of the Malayalam film industry against soaring remunerations and unfriendly policies.

“I don’t think that a decision to observe complete shutdown was taken. Suresh Kumar might have some vested interests, and that is why he has called for a shutdown. In our industry, scores of people make a living out of it. It is surprising how Suresh Kumar can reach such a decision,” said Perumbavur in a social media post.

Upcoming superstar Prithviraj and popular actor Unni Mukundan, who also own production houses, have also supported Perumbavur against Suresh Kumar.

However, Suresh Kumar hit back at Perumbavur, saying that he is in a responsible position in the producers' association and could not make such a decision without consulting others.

“We gave the shutdown call on June 1 after thoroughly discussing with all segments of the film industry. The minutes of the meeting are also with me,” Kumar said.

He added that he started producing films when Perumbavur was just beginning to watch them.

“I cannot say anything to such irresponsible statements. Antony Perumbavur has hardly attended these meetings. He has no idea what happened in the last week’s meeting,” Kumar said.

On February 6, various Malayalam film bodies called for a total shutdown of all film activities, including shooting and screening of films, from June 1.