THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam film superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal came in for criticism Thursday by two leading film personalities, who accused the stars of dictating the kind of films being made, thereby diluting the aesthetic value of Malayalam films.
Speaking at a discussion on Malayalam films organised by the state information and public relation department, veteran film director and chairman of the state-owned Kerala State Film Development Corporation, K.G. George said the superstars have an iron grip on the industry and this does not augur well.
"There is nothing wrong with them, but for the last 25 years they have ruled the roost and this trend is not good. There are times when films are made according to the whims and fancies of these superstars. Over the years the aesthetic value of Malayalam films has been lost out to pure commercialization," said George who through his film "Yavanika" in the early 80s made Mammootty a superstar.
Producer Sureshkumar also said that the remuneration of the two superstars is simply not affordable today.
"Today the stage has come that the entire remuneration aspect alone accounts for a staggering 65 percent of the total cost of the film. Quite a number of producers and theatre owners have decided to join hands and we have decided to produce films with new faces and the cost of these films would be kept under Rs.15 million. The theatre owners have agreed that they would show these films for a minimum period of two weeks," said Sureshkumar who has produced more than a dozen blockbuster films of Mohanlal.
Mohanlal and Sureshkumar are contemporaries and began their film careers together more than three decades ago.