The draft of the a lot delayed policy for the Malayalam film trade will be presented for additional discussions and amendments at the State authorities’s film conclave probably to be organised in the primary week of August. According to sources who’re a part of the committee, a complete of 75 conferences have been held with varied stakeholders in the trade as a part of efforts at formulating the policy. Currently, 17 States have ready film insurance policies.
One of the foremost points raised by varied stakeholders in the conferences was the shortage of formal recognition as an trade, due to which laws are usually not in place to govern many of the actions in the Malayalam film trade. Following the discussions, the film policy panel outlined thematic areas relating to points to be taken care of by the completely different authorities departments.
The key thematic space will be the one associated to gender and dealing circumstances in the trade relating to points to be dealt with by the Labour and Women and Child Development departments in addition to the Human Rights Commission. These embrace points associated to casting sofa, lack of correct implementation of Internal Committees in film units, disparity in remuneration, threats in opposition to dissenting voices, lengthy working hours, lack of girls in technical departments, exploitation by brokers and substance abuse.
Contractual agreements
The thematic space associated to the Law division addresses points together with lack of contractual agreements, lack of a centralised physique for regulatory oversight in the trade and boundaries to getting into film associations and unions due to excessive membership charges and favouritism.
The thematic space associated to schooling will handle lack of sufficient funding for film colleges, scholarships for underprivileged communities in film schooling and consciousness coaching. The panel may even look at creation of a single-window on-line system for filming permits to streamline bureaucratic processes, moral advertising practices, measures to shield in opposition to cyber threats and formulating moral tips for the usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in filmmaking for the long run. Issues associated to film piracy and organised hate campaigns in opposition to movies may even be addressed.
Panel fashioned in 2023
The film policy panel was fashioned in July 2023 with a mandate to put together the policy inside two months. The delay in formulating the policy even after the publishing of a redacted model of the Ok. Hema Committee report on points in the Malayalam trade had led to criticisms. Two days in the past, actor Parvathy Thiruvothu had lashed out at the State authorities over the delay of “five and a half years” for the reason that submission of the Hema committee report in placing insurance policies in place. Reacting to the criticisms, Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian on Wednesday stated that some people who’re unaware of the steps taken by the federal government are “deliberately spreading misconceptions.”
According to sources, the proposed film conclave can have 300 individuals, together with public policy consultants, trade stakeholders and representatives from States already having a film policy.
Published – June 04, 2025 08:36 pm IST