Multiplexes will play Malayalam films when the PVR-FEFKA conflict ends

Following the resolution of the issue between the Producers’ Association and cinema chain PVR on the high virtual print fee (VPF) on Saturday, the former has agreed to begin accepting reservations for Malayalam films, both new and old, on all of its screens. The PVR will shortly resume showing both recently released and previously released Malayalam movies.

After billionaire Yusuffali M A talked with PVR’s senior executives, the matter was settled, with the exception of two locations: Forum Mall in Kochi and Miraj Cinemas in Kozhikode. Malayalam films will now be shown nationwide.

PVR in Kochi’s Forum Mall halted the showing of Malayalam movies on its screens on Thursday due to an argument over the theater’s excessive VPF.

A PVR announcement said, “The Producers Association has advised our newly opened nine-screen cinema, PVR Forum, Kochi, to source Malayalam movie content exclusively through one channel, through the content mastering and distribution network run by the association.”

“We are unable to comply with the advice as a law-abiding member of the Indian film industry,” the statement said.

The Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) also declared two days after PVR made its decision that the PVR would not be permitted to screen Malayalam films until the producers of movies like Aadujeevitham were compensated for their two-day screening stoppage, which cost the producer money.

A movie ticket for a PVR screening via a content provider such as Qube, UFO, or PXD starts at around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 and goes down from there. The producers have established Producers’ Digital Cinema (PDC), a content mastering unit, as an alternative to the existing method. “We have nothing against UFOs or the Qube. We oppose the exploitation of VPF,” Unnikrishnan said.

The chances of Vineeth-Pranav’s Varshangalkku Shesham, Fahad’s Aavesham, Prithviraj’s Aadujeevitham, and Unni Mukundan’s Jai Ganesh were impacted by PVR’s decision to discontinue showing a number of Malayalam films. Following the controversy, Aadujeevitham’s PVR showing was discontinued for one week after its release.

Conflict settled after Yusuffali’s intervention

After billionaire Yusuffali M A talked with PVR’s senior executives, the matter was settled, with the exception of two locations: Forum Mall in Kochi and Miraj Cinemas in Kozhikode. Malayalam films will now be shown nationwide.