The tussle between the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) and the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation (KFEF) over the release of Mohanlal-starrer ‘Mr Fraud’ has reached a flash point, with the FEFKA saying that no other Malayalam film will be released in the coming days if the exhibitors did not screen Mr Fraud.
The decision was taken at an emergency general body meeting of the FEFKA, held here on Monday.
Earlier, KFEF president Liberty Basheer had said that theatre-owners had decided not to allow the screening of Mr Fraud unless B Unnikrishnan, director and FEFKA general secretary, met KFEF office-bearers. “It is childish to boycott a film for not attending an uninvited function,” FEFKA president Siby Malayil told Express.
“There is no reason for banning this movie. If there was one, like arrears or non-settlement of accounts, it could have been solved. Here, nothing of that sort exists,” he said.
The controversy erupted after the office-bearers of both FEFKA and AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) allegedly abstained from the inauguration of the new building of KFEF.
According to Basheer, it was Unnikrishnan who instructed AMMA president Innocent not to attend the function as he had a difference of opinion with Basheer. There was another issue of the film fraternity not attending the funeral of legendary music director K Raghavan Master at Thalassery, which is also the hometown of Basheer.
“From FEFKA, I, as the president of the organisation, was the only official invitee. Unfortunately, I could not attend the function, due to personal reasons. Directors Priyadarshan and Renjith, who were also invited to the function, were out of the State. Unnikrishnan was not invited, and I do not know how someone can attend such a function without an invitation. So, no other Malayalam film will be released in the coming days if the exhibitors did not start screening Mr Fraud on May 8,” Siby Malayil said.
“We had given due respect to Raghavan Master when he was alive, and our organisation was represented by our members at the cremation of the maestro,” Sibi Malayil added. A joint meeting of the FEFKA , the Kerala Film Producers Association and the Kerala Film Distributors Association will be held on Tuesday, following the executive meetings of the producers association and the distributors association.
Last year, Basheer had issued a boycott call against ‘Kalimannu’, another Malayalam film, directed by Blessy for allegedly incorporating a controversial scene showing the delivery of a baby.