The office-bearers of the Film Exhibitors Federation on Wednesday said that they would not screen director B Unnikrishnan’s upcoming movie ‘Mr Fraud’.
The movie, which has Mohanlal in main role, was slated to be released on May 8.
According to Liberty Basheer, the president of the Exhibitors Federation, they have taken the decision to impose a ban on ‘Mr Fraud’, in protest against director B Unnikrishnan’s alleged instructions to the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) and Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) representatives not to participate in the inauguration function of the federation’s new office building.
“We have listed the prominent persons from Film Employees Federation of Kerala and Association of Malayalam Movie Artists in the invitation letter.
“But they withdrew from the function at the eleventh hour.
“We will not screen Unnikrishnan’s films anymore in protest against his non cooperation with the film exhibitors,” Basheer said.
When asked whether his personal issues with Unnikrishnan are behind the decision, Basheer denied it and said that it is a collective decision taken by the exhibitors in the Malayalam film industry.
Meanwhile, sources close to B Unnikrishnan said that the allegations raised against the director was baseless and they would deal with the ban imposed on the film at the organisational level.
The movie, ‘Mr Fraud’, has Mohanlal, Sidhique, Miya, Saikumar, Dev Gill, Manjari Fadnis and other lead actors from Mollywood in prominent roles.