Film organisations in Kerala have reportedly announced a statewide token strike on January 22, demanding urgent government intervention to address what they describe as a deepening crisis in the film industry. As part of the protest, cinema theatres across the state will remain closed, and all film shootings and related activities will be suspended for the day.
The strike has been called jointly by various film bodies, which have warned that the protest could escalate into an indefinite strike if their demands are not addressed. The organisations say the token strike is intended as a final warning before taking stronger action.
A long-standing and key demand is the withdrawal of the state-level entertainment tax levied in addition to GST, which exhibitors and producers argue has made film exhibition financially unviable. The organisations are also seeking a special electricity tariff for theatres, citing rising operational costs. These concerns were earlier raised directly with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Although discussions have taken place between the state government and representatives of the film industry, the organisations say no concrete outcomes have emerged so far. The government has indicated that another round of talks will be held, with January 14 being suggested as a possible date, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Industry representatives point to alarming figures to underline the urgency of their demands. Of the nearly 180 films released in 2025, only about ten have reportedly turned profitable, highlighting the scale of the financial strain facing producers, distributors and theatre owners.
Film organisations have made it clear that if the forthcoming government meeting fails to offer meaningful relief, particularly on the issue of entertainment tax, they will proceed with an indefinite shutdown of film-related activities across the state.