The Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) recently released a report claiming that only one Malayalam film out of 17 released in February made decent money. And while that film was Kunchacko Boban’s Officer on Duty, the actor told OnManorama that the association’s figures were ‘neither accurate nor transparent’. (Also Read: Prithviraj Sukumaran dismisses 'hue and cry' about Malayalam cinema's financial crisis: 'It's a high failure industry')
Kunchacko Boban challenges KFPA figures
Since the report came out, filmmakers and actors have expressed dissent and challenged the figures. Kunchacko told the publication that KFPA’s claim that Officer on Duty was made on a budget of ₹13 crore and that it collected ₹11 crore at the box office was false.
He said, “The production of the film is not ₹13 crore; it is significantly higher. The producers did not just recover ₹11 crore; they have earned at least double or more. The ₹11 crore mentioned by the association representatives likely refers to the share the producer received from Kerala theatres alone. Even then, the actual figure is higher than ₹11 crore. Their figures are neither accurate nor transparent. If numbers are being presented, they should be precise.”
Kunchacko also stated that Officer on Duty has collected around ₹30 crore so far in Kerala alone and that the film began making profits after its first weekend. When asked if it’s fair to ask actors to reduce their remuneration, he responded, “If those complaining producers are facing losses, I am willing to act in their films for free. Let them take the full revenue from the Kerala theatres only. I only ask that they give me the earnings from outside Kerala and digital platforms like OTT and satellite. But they never factor in these revenues when discussing losses, do they?”
What did the KFPA say
{{/usCountry}}Kunchacko also stated that Officer on Duty has collected around ₹30 crore so far in Kerala alone and that the film began making profits after its first weekend. When asked if it’s fair to ask actors to reduce their remuneration, he responded, “If those complaining producers are facing losses, I am willing to act in their films for free. Let them take the full revenue from the Kerala theatres only. I only ask that they give me the earnings from outside Kerala and digital platforms like OTT and satellite. But they never factor in these revenues when discussing losses, do they?”
What did the KFPA say
{{/usCountry}}KFPA vice-president G Suresh Kumar told the press last week, “Of the 17 movies released in February, there was only one hit, Officer on Duty. Two movies, including Daveed and Bromance, may not suffer loss, as it may compensate the gap in theatre share through the sale of OTT and other rights.”
The association claimed that the total budget of the films released in February was around ₹75.23 crore, and the total share in theatre collections was only ₹23.55 crore. In January, they recorded a loss of ₹110 crore, with 28 films released that month.
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