By mid-March, production work of all the Malayalam films in Kerala stopped, same as several film industries across the country. Shooting, screening, distributing, everything put on hold due to the spread of coronavirus, the different film bodies announced.
On March 11, when movie theatres across Kerala closed down, it was thought to be a temporary measure. The Distributors Association had then told TNM that a review meeting was to be held five days later to plan the next course of action.
That was a time when meetings were possible, the lockdown was still days away. “Now you can’t even consider the possibility of a meeting, and without a meeting, you cannot begin to discuss the crisis,” says actor Jagadish, who is the Treasurer of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA).
“If there was a definite date on which we knew we could resume shooting and production, say September, then we could begin planning for it. But as long as it is indefinite and you don’t know when the world will tide over the coronavirus crisis, one cannot begin to work on solutions,” Jagadish says.
Even when relaxations in the lockdown have been announced according to the Centre's classification of red, orange and green districts, the entertainment industry will likely be one of the last to revive. “Naturally the priority of the government would be for other industries. You can’t expect movie theatres to open before schools,” Jagadish adds.
Director and producer B Unnkrishnan, who is Secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), says this is true. “The film industry will be the last area to be addressed by the government post COVID-19. That is understandable. And even when it is finally functioning, people would wait to be doubly sure before appearing in crowded spaces such as theatres,” he says.
Alternatives have been speculated but none of them too seriously yet. Multiplexes are planning to present a proposal suggesting the guidelines they could follow to ensure safety – like 40 % seat occupancy, use of hand sanitisers before and after the show, leaving space between every two viewers and so on. “But you need a 38 % occupancy to even break even. It is not practical,” Unnikrishnan says.
Already the loss faced by the Malayalam film industry is Rs 600 crore, the number as on Friday, he says. When the production can finally resume, there needs to be a lot of concessions on the part of the government – state and Centre – starting with scrapping the entertainment tax, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a tax holiday at least for a year, Unnikrishnan says. Film bodies, including national ones, are preparing detailed documents to submit to the government in this regard.
Releasing films on online streaming platforms was another idea floated, but this will not work for internationally planned releases such as Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham, says Unnikrishnan. “Producers of big budget movies like Antony Perumbavoor who spent over Rs 85 crore for Marakkar, can’t release the films unless all the theatres are open again. The OTT releases may work for mid-budget movies, but that’s something we need to start thinking about.”
The uncertainty has made life worse for several thousand people in the industry who are going without work or income. “There are 11,000 members in FEFKA out of which 4,000 are daily wage workers. On an initial assessment, we have found 2,800 members who are in really bad shape and gave Rs 5,000 per person, with the help of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds.”
Unnikrishnan plans to talk to the government about resuming the post production work of those films which have finished shooting as this would give employment to at least a few.
“Some are worried if this would bring an end to the theatre culture. I don’t believe that. We have overcome epidemics like the Spanish Flu, two World Wars, and there have been long periods of shut-downs. But it always resumes. The idea is about coming to movie theatres as strangers and watching a film together and that experience cannot be replaced by another,” he says.
Update: State's Culture Minister AK Balan announced on Saturday that permission would be given for post production work to resume from May 4. "The post production work that will involve a maximum of five people will be allowed to resume. I have spoken to the Chief Minister regarding this," Balan wrote on his Facebook page.
He also announced that the offices can work in green zone areas with limited number of people in the film and television industries. Studios should be disinfected before that. Those who go to work should also follow the safety precautions such as wearing masks, cleaning hands and keeping physical distance.