Latest news with #Rs3.25
Gulf News
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf News
Why the Malayalam film industry is bleeding money: Box office flops reveal a grim reality
Dubai: Ask any Malayalam movie fan and they'll tell you we're in a golden era — a phase of fearless storytelling, breakout talent, and creative highs. But speak to a producer or industry insider, and the mood quickly shifts. Behind the global acclaim and critical buzz lies a sobering truth: Malayalam cinema, for all its brilliance, is struggling to stay financially afloat. In March 2025, the harsh economics of the Kerala film industry came into sharp focus. According to reports, out of the 15 Malayalam films released last month in March, only one — L2: Empuraan, the high-octane Mohanlal–Prithviraj action thriller — managed to break even, let alone turn a profit. Mounted on a massive Rs1.75 billion, the film grossed Rs3.25 billion worldwide within its first month, standing out as a rare commercial outlier in an otherwise grim financial landscape, according to Malayalam news website Manorama. But what's ailing the Malayalam film industry? Gulf News tracked down Dubai-based producer Sophia Paul, known for backing landmark films like Bangalore Days and Minnal Murali, in Kerala and she offered a frank diagnosis of the situation. "It's simple. Content-wise, many of the films just weren't strong enough. Malayalam movies have never been iconic star-driven. Unlike Bollywood, big stars doesn't guarantee a hit anymore. Look at Tovino's Identity — such a huge film, but it didn't do well. Only for Mohanlal do stars still guarantee an opening," she told Gulf News. Plus, the audience's viewing habits have changed completely. "Earlier, there would be 200 people at a show; now it's different. People are reluctant to head into cinemas for every film and would rather wait till it lands on a web streaming platform. The reality is sobering because it's not easy for Malayalam films to be picked up by OTT platforms either," she added. Her observations reflect a wider industry crisis. Yet Empuraan is the exception, not the rule. Despite an exceptional year in 2024, when Malayalam cinema more than doubled its box office share from 5 per cent to 10 per cent and crossed the Rs10 billion gross box office collection milestone for the first time, the financial health of the industry remains precarious. According to a recent Ormax report, the industry saw over 100 per cent growth compared to 2023. Still, the reality is stark: even with this impressive growth, Malayalam cinema recorded losses amounting to between Rs6.6 billion to Rs 7 billion. Out of 204 films released in 2024 — which included 199 new titles and five remastered classics — only 26 emerged as box office successes. The Kerala Film Producers' Association (KFPA) reports that while production costs skyrocketed to Rs10 billion, less than 30 per cent was actually recovered. Skyrocketing actor fees and inflated production costs were identified by industry insiders as major culprits behind this grim financial scenario. Veteran producer Suresh Kumar also echoed similar concerns, recently challenging Malayalam stars to name even one film that consistently crossed the Rs 1billion mark at the box office, underscoring how fragile commercial success remains. Stakeholders agree that while Malayalam cinema continues to excel in terms of content and critical acclaim — often outperforming other Indian industries weighed down by formulaic storytelling — the industry must address its pressing challenges. Rising production budgets, shifting viewer habits, dwindling OTT support, and overreliance on star power have combined to create a perfect storm. Still, the phenomenal success of Empuraan offers a glimmer of hope. It proves that with smart planning, big-screen spectacle, and genuinely compelling content, Malayalam cinema can still command not just critical acclaim but major box office rewards. But unless there's serious introspection — and swift correction — the industry risks undermining its hard-earned global reputation.
Express Tribune
11-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Unilateral pay hikes
Listen to article The government's admission that National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) board members unilaterally increased their salaries without the federal cabinet's prior approval is a glaring example of governance that prioritises self-interest over public accountability. The problem is not just the doubtful legality of the exercise, but a question of in what world can Nepra's board members justify raises of around 300%. The Nepra chairman's salary has soared from Rs790,000 to almost Rs3.25 million per month, while each board member now enjoys a monthly salary exceeding Rs2.94 million, up from about Rs740,000. While the previous salaries were tied to the highest tier of management pay (MP) scales, the current structure has no precedent and appears to have been decided on a whim. We must also note that the entire argument for having MP scale salaries is to get top talent from the private sector to offer their services to the public sector and perhaps improve the performance of state institutions. But in reality, a large number of MP scale hires are retired bureaucrats with little to no private sector experience, but deep connections to the corridors of power. Because of this, many MP-scale jobs are nothing more than post-retirement rewards for bureaucrats with connections to the government of the day. Inexplicably, several roles for which people are nominated, rather than competitively hired, also offer MP-scale salaries, opening the door for political patronage and doling out of questionable unapproved compensation and perks, despite the fact that thousands of competent and qualified Pakistanis would be willing to take these jobs at the officially approved salary levels. Even in the case of Nepra, it is worth noting that the chairman is a retired bureaucrat, and despite having some power sector experience, none of it was in the private sector. If the Nepra board members really think they deserve such ludicrously high salaries, they should immediately be afforded opportunities to actively seek employment in the private sector.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Rs3.25b approved for WASA sewerage system upgrades
JARANWALA: The Punjab Housing Department has approved five major development schemes worth over Rs3.25 billion for WASA Faisalabad, aiming to improve the city's sewerage system and drainage infrastructure. The approved projects include the enhancement of sewage networks in the eastern and western areas, the provision of sewage systems in Niamo-ana and Nethar, and the procurement of advanced drainage machinery. The approval was granted during a meeting of the Departmental Development Sub-Committee (DDSC) of the Housing Department, where Managing Director WASA Amir Aziz presented the development plan. Senior officials, including Deputy Managing Director Engineering Saqib Raza, Director P&D Hafiz Hassan Naseer, Director Construction East Dr Usman Latif, and other key officers, attended the meeting. Among the sanctioned projects, Rs755 million has been allocated for upgrading sewage pumping capacity at disposal stations, Rs800 million for improving the sewage system in eastern and western areas, Rs600 million for purchasing drainage machinery, Rs600 million for sewage network development in Niamo-ana and Rs500 million for a similar project in Nethar. Managing Director WASA Amir Aziz stated that work on these projects will commence soon in accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He emphasised that once completed, the projects will significantly enhance sewage and drainage services for over 500,000 residents in Faisalabad. Deputy Managing Director Engineering Saqib Raza added that following DDSC approval, administrative procedures will be finalised swiftly, paving the way for the implementation of these much-needed infrastructure upgrades.
