Latest news with #KeralaFilmProducersAssociation
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sandra Thomas wears burqa in protest against sex offenders in positions of power at Kerala Film Producers Association
Actor-producer Sandra Thomas shocked everyone when she turned up in a burqa to file her nomination at the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) for the upcoming elections. After filing her nomination, she told the press why she wore it in protest against sexual offenders sitting in positions of power. Sandra Thomas told the press that her wearing a burqa was a form of protest against the abusers in Producers Association. Sandra Thomas wears burqa to protest against sex offenders In videos Sandra re-shared on her Instagram, she can be seen dressed in a black burqa, with only her face left visible, as she filed a nomination at the KFPA. Manorama Online reported that she said, 'In light of my previous experience, I feel a veil is appropriate attire to wear in the presence of the current office bearers. This is also my protest against the four accused, who have been accused of a serious crime, still being administrators here. Moreover, they are also contesting in the upcoming elections as president and secretary.' Sandra also reportedly told the press that the KFPA is 'not a safe place for women', adding, 'This is an organisation that has been monopolised by ten to fifteen people for decades now. Changes must be made. No matter what place it is, it will stagnate if only a few people control it. The Producers Association is below all organisations in Malayalam cinema today because the current rulers have brought it to that state. The industry will only change when changes are made here.' About Sandra Thomas This is not the first time that Sandra has spoken up against sexual abuse and exploitation in the Malayalam film industry. She recently also claimed that producers set aside budgets in Mollywood to procure drugs for stars. In November 2024, Sandra was expelled from the producers' body on charges of breaching organisational discipline and norms. She had questioned the silence of film organisations, including KFPA, on the startling revelations made in the Hema Committee Report. In December 2024, the Ernakulam Sub Court stayed the order to expel her. Sandra has now filed a nomination to run for the Presidency of KFPA.
India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Malayalam producer files nomination in burqa after legal battle with film chamber
Malayalam film producer Sandra Thomas arrived at the Kerala Film Producers' Association office in Kochi on Saturday, July 26, dressed in a burqa, to file her nomination for the executive committee elections scheduled for August is running for the post of president amid her long-standing rift with the association's current leadership. Sandra explained that she chose to wear a burqa for safety while entering a space long dominated by men. She added that she will contest as part of a panel comprising women and producers determined to bring about positive change within the association.'I felt this is the apt cloth to wear here, after all the experiences I've had. This place has been a monopoly for years, of 10 to 15 men,' she told the media after filing the her feud with the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), the producer's move has reignited conversations around gender, power, and transparency in Malayalam cinema. Her rift with the association deepened after she wrote to the executive committee, criticising the office-bearers for staying silent on the Hema Committee report, which highlighted issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. She also accused the current leadership of association sought an explanation from Thomas regarding her remarks, but after finding her response unsatisfactory, they issued a show-cause notice that ultimately led to her removal. In her complaints, Thomas accused senior officials of using derogatory language during a meeting on film distribution, prompting a police case to be along with fellow producer Sheela Kurian, had previously called for a change in the KFPA leadership, accusing the association of being run according to the interests of a select few.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
South mid-year box office 2025: Malayalam-Tamil hold fort, Telugu-Kannada in crisis
Six months into 2025, only a handful of films have truly rocked the box office. While the Malayalam and Tamil film industries are faring relatively well, the Telugu industry has struggled after a few early Sankranti hits. The Kannada industry, meanwhile, is still searching for a ray of hope, having had an abysmal start to the was 2022 that marked the rise of South cinema with back-to-back hits across all industries. From 'RRR' to 'Vikram', 'KGF' and 'Kantara', these films won hearts not just in their native languages but across the country and even internationally. Since then, South cinema has consistently delivered memorable hits, often outperforming Bollywood, which is still trying to find stable footing in the post-Covid has been a mixed bag for the South industries as well. Many films, big-budget ones at that, which were considered safe bets, flopped big time, while the small and medium-budget films, which remained dark horses, turned out to be fan favourites. As July draws to a close, let us take a look at how the four South industries have performed at the box MAINTAINS MOMENTUM DESPITE INITIAL SETBACKIn 2024, Malayalam cinema held its ground while the other three industries grappled with back-to-back blows. This year, too, Mollywood has churned out many memorable films. But, this year, it maintained the equilibrium with big-budget entertainers and content-backed early months of 2025 were worrying - aside from the success of Asif Ali's 'Rekhachitram'. In February alone, 17 films released with a combined budget of Rs 75 crore. According to a report from the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), the theatrical share of these films stood at a paltry Rs 23.55 saw Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'L2: Empuraan' take over the box office. Despite being drowned in controversies, the film surpassed 'Manjummel' Boys' to become the highest-grossing Malayalam analyst Ramesh Bala exclusively told India Today, that 'L2: Empuraan', followed by the success of Mohanlal's 'Thudarum', Basil Joseph's 'Ponman' and Kunchacko Boban's 'Officer on Duty', were among the top performers. 'Thudarum' became the first film to collect Rs 100 crore in Kerala alone. The industry continued to deliver more films which performed fairly well (considering its moderate budget). Films like Naslen's 'Alappuzha Gymkhana', Tovino Thomas's 'Narivetta', Roshan Mathew's 'Ronth' and Dileep's 'Prince and Family' received positive reviews from critics and audiences first six months of 2025 exposed a pattern in terms of the audience's liking towards thrillers. While there were far and few exceptions, the majority of the hit films were MIXED BAG: ENTERTAINERS TRIUMPH OVER STAR POWERClosely following Malayalam cinema is Kollywood, which has had a mixed year so far. While there were a handful of films that dominated the box office, many big-budget anticipated films became duds at the box office. In the last six months, Ajith Kumar has had two releases - 'Vidaamuyarchi' and 'Good Bad Ugly'. His second offering remains the biggest hit of 2025 till June by collecting Rs 153 nett in India. Following 'Good Bad Ugly' is Pradeep Ranganathan's 'Dragon', which netted Rs 102 crore across for 'Good Bad Ugly', many superstar films, including 'Vidaamuyarchi', Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life', Suriya's 'Retro', Vikram's 'Veera Dheera Sooran' and Dhanush's 'Kuberaa' (hit in Telugu) had an underwhelming run at the box office. Small and medium-budget films, including 'Tourist Family', 'Maaman' and 'Kudumbasthan', attracted family audience to the theatres and made them leave with a smile on their faces. 'Tourist Family' raked in Rs 61 crore nett at the domestic box office, despite being made on a modest surprise winner was the 12-year-old 'Madha Gaja Raja' outperforming director Shankar and Ram Charan's 'Game Changer' in Tamil Nadu. In fact, the Vishal-starrer was deemed the Pongal winner this Mathivanan, owner of GK Cinemas in Chennai, called 2025 summer the best in the last 2-3 years. "In our property, 'Good Bad Ugly', 'Dragon, 'Tourist Family' and 'Maaman' performed exceedingly well. Till May, we recorded great footfalls," he observed a pattern in Tamil cinema where pure entertainers turned out to be crowd's favourite. "This year, till June, belongs to entertainers. People are having a hard time in their lives and when they visit theatres, they want to be entertained," he a similar thought, trade analyst Ramesh Bala said, "There is a decline in number of hits. However, we can see an outright rejection when it comes to middling films. Audiences have been showing no mercy to films that reek of mediocrity. These films hardly mint Rs 1-2 crore gross and there are so many such films this year."TOLLYWOOD'S ROCKY ROAD POST-SANKRANTI CONTINUESTelugu cinema, aka Tollywood, had a rocky first half, unlike Tamil and Malayalam cinema. The year started off with the biggest disappointment when Ram Charan's 'Game Changer' hit theatres. With Shankar at the helm, the film earned Rs 131.2 crore gross in India, a dangerously low number for a film that boasts superstars. However, other Sankranti releases, Venkatesh 'Sankranthiki Vasthunnam' and Balakrishna's 'Daaku Maharaaj' compensated for the loss by earning Rs 187 crore and Rs 91 crore nett in Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's 'Thandel', Nani's 'HIT 3' and Dhanush's 'Kuberaa' made a splash. Smaller films (in terms of budget), including 'Court: State vs a Nobody' and 'Mad Square' collected Rs 40.7 crore nett and Rs 50 crore nett, respectively. 'Kannappa', which hit theatres towards the end of June, received a lukewarm response. advertisementAnupam Reddy, former secretary of the Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce, at a press conference in Hyderabad, said, "Looking back at the last six months, I can only name about six movies that actually did well at the box office and that clearly explains how the industry has fared so far."'Kuberaa' producer and exhibitor Suniel Narang pointed out that audiences are selective these days, while highlighting the current challenges. Stressing that content is king, the producer said, "Within hours of a film's release, opinions start flooding social media platforms like X, Instagram and YouTube. Real-time feedback heavily influences theatre footfall. Audiences are very clear about their choices - if they're investing in buying a theatre ticket, they want to be sure that the film is worth their time and money."SANDALWOOD HITS ROCK BOTTOMThe first half of 2025 has been terrible for Kannada films as the highest-grossing film (titled 'Choo Mantar') earned Rs 7.5 crore worldwide. The industry that gifted 'KGF' films and 'Kantara' hardly had any hits that even raked in double digits. Films like 'Agnyathavasi' and 'Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana' received critical terms of box office numbers, 'Choo Mantar' topped the charts, and is followed by 'Maadeva' and 'Yuddhakaanda Chapter 2'. Now, the industry is looking forward to Rishab Shetty's 'Kantara: Chapter 1', and Shiva Rajkumar-Raj B Shetty-Upendra's '45' to revive the industry from the slump.A PACKED SECOND HALF OF 2025Ruban Mathivanan pointed out that the second half of 2025 looks "jam-packed with many important spectacle films lined up for release." Rajinikanth's 'Coolie', Dhanush's 'Idly Kadai', Sivakarthikeyan's 'Madhrasi', Pawan Kalyan's 'Hari Hara Veera Mallu', 'They Call Him OG', Prabhas' 'The RajaSaab', Vijay Deverakonda's 'Kingdom', Mohanlal's 'Hridayapoorvam', 'Kantara: Chapter 1', and many other tentpole films, apart from many other small and medium-budget films are set to smash box office in the months to first half of 2025 presents a tale of contrasts for South Indian cinema. However, with the success of the upcoming films, South cinema is poised for a potential revival.- Ends
New Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
KFPA says will add OTT revenue to movie collection report
KOCHI: The Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) is now set to include OTT revenue in its monthly box office collection report — a notable shift in its approach to industry transparency, amid criticism by a section of members over publicly releasing theatre-collection numbers. The association hit the breaks after publishing figures for January, February, and March this year. According to KFPA vice-president G Suresh Kumar, the delay is due to the proposal to present a more comprehensive financial picture. 'Several films have been sold to OTT platforms. And many producers requested that the monthly numbers reflect both theatre and OTT revenue. Compiling the amounts takes time,' he told TNIE. The move comes in the wake of opposition from some producers to the release of box office figures. 'I don't know who hired the people to facilitate the release of monthly reports of Malayalam films. These are confidential numbers. If a body authorised or constituted by the state is coming out with these figures, then it is understandable,' Santhosh T Kuruvilla, co-producer of films like 'Da Thadiya', 'Mayaanadhi' and 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu', posted on Facebook. He urged those involved to stop spreading false notions about the industry. KFPA secretary B Rakesh said that the reports for April to June will be published after the association's general body meeting and election. 'Officials are working on annual reports and preparing for the election. The figures of the last three months will be released soon after,' he said. According to the three reports released by KFPA, only three films — 'Rekhachithram' starring Asif Ali, the Prithviraj-Mohanlal film 'Empuraan', and 'Officer on Duty' featuring Kunchacko Boban and Priyamani — were commercially successful in the first quarter of 2025. The association maintains that the aim of releasing such data is to raise awareness among producers, particularly newcomers, about financial risks in an industry grappling with mounting losses.
New Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Box office data release triggers outrage among producers in Kerala
KOCHI: The Kerala Film Producers Association's (KFPA) decision to release monthly box office collection figures — a move it claims is aimed at helping investors — is evoking negative reviews. The move, initiated from February, has thrown open a rift, with some producers warning that it could backfire and end up discouraging investment, besides distorting perceptions of success in a fragile market. According to the KFPA's March 2025 report, just one film – L2: Empuraan – out of the 15 released that month was commercially successful. The association defends its decision to release the figures, saying it would help inform producers of industry trends and financial outcomes. However, not everyone is convinced. Producer Sandra Thomas, among those vehemently opposed to the move, said the decision has started hurting the industry. 'The numbers they release are partial. There are multiple sources of income, including OTT rights, remake rights, dubbing rights and theatre collection. When we release the theatre collection, it gives the wrong impression that the entire industry is in loss,' she explained. Santhosh T Kuruvilla, co-producer of films like Da Thadiya, Mayaanadhi and Nna Thaan Case Kodu, too, was critical of the decision. 'I don't know who hired these people to release monthly reports of Malayalam films. These are confidential numbers. If a body authorised or constituted by the state is releasing these figures, then it is understandable,' he posted on social media and called on those involved to stop 'spreading false ideas' about the industry. Kuruvilla warned that publicising box office failures could dampen investor confidence. 'The goal of film production is not just high returns. The entertainment industry works on long-term goals,' he said. However, KFPA vice-president G Sureshkumar said they want to caution new producers about the risks in investing in the sector. 'The numbers were released not to discourage investors. Numerous producers are in debt and experiencing losses. We cannot let this happen. Actors' remuneration and production costs are increasing. Potential producers should be aware of the risks,' he told TNIE.
