Ever since the widespread onset of streaming platforms, there has been a constant debate about the survival of smaller theater chains, with the audience preferring to wait till a film’s OTT release to watch it, rather than watching it in theaters. The producers create contracts keeping in mind the film’s digital release date as well.
Over the last few years, there have been several protests by small theater owners, demanding a minimum screening period for a film in theaters, before it premieres on OTT. In the case of Kerala, this was 42 days. However, claiming that the producers have constantly flouted the mandated time period, the Film Exhibitors United Organization of Kerala or FEUOK, took a bold stance on Friday, where they warned that they would not be screening Malayalam films from Thursday, February 22nd.
Theater owners protest against Producers
According to OnManorama, the Association said that they were forced to take such a drastic step because the film producers were constantly violating the OTT window-period norms set by the FEUOK, which was agreed to by the producers association.
Despite there being a rule that there should be a 42 day window between a film’s theatrical release and its OTT release, K Vijayakumar, the President of FEUOK, said that several producers violate this norm, and release the film on streaming platforms much earlier.
The move by the Film Exhibitors Association is sure to affect quite a number of prominent films that are set to come out next week, including Dileep’s next, titled Thankamani, is also said to be affected by the exhibitors’ move. However, films that have already been released like Mammootty’s Bramayugam or Premalu, will not be affected by the decision. It has also been clarified that the highly anticipated Manjummel Boys will release in theaters as planned as well.
The larger problem
It is interesting to note that this is not the first time the FEUOK has resorted to such a protest. The Association finds it as a necessary means to shed light on the real problem, affecting the survival of standalone theaters.
While multiplex chains have various branches across the country, the case is not the same when it comes to standalone films, who have found it difficult to bounce back from the aftermath of the pandemic. The recent shutting down of Udhayam Theaters in Chennai is also a sign of the same issue.
Further, from the point of view of consumers, while multiplexes have a footing in the more industrialized cities in the state, like Ernakulam or Thiruvananthapuram, in most other parts of the state, people still resort to standalone theaters. A ban on Malayalam films also takes away the opportunity for fans to watch the film they have ardently been waiting for.
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