The Hindu : Kerala News : No plan for talks with AMMA: Film Chamber

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Thursday, May 06, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

No plan for talks with AMMA: Film Chamber

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, MAY 5. The Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce president, Siyad Kokker, has denied reports that the Chamber and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) would hold conciliatory talks at the Labour Minister's office in Thiruvananthapuram on May 17.

Mr. Kokker told The Hindu here today that though the Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, had contacted him a few days ago to know if a discussion could be arranged, the Chamber was reluctant to the move since an earlier round of talks held between the two under the initiative of the Cultural Affairs Minister, G. Karthikeyan, had failed. Chamber office-bearers felt that another round of talks in another forum would belittle the Cultural Affairs Minister who handled cinema and related subjects. Mr. Kokker said he had informed the Labour Minister of the Chamber's position. This is not an issue that came under the Labour Department.

He said the Film Chamber had not received any official invitation for any talks. Mr. Kokker was of the view that the reports might have been generated as part of a scheme to prevent more young actors and actresses from joining work, defying AMMA. Such reports are aimed at giving false hopes to the young artistes.

The film industry is getting back into action on a slow but steady pace, according to Mr. Kokker. Apart from two films, the shooting for which has been started in the city, more films are on the anvil. The work of Vinayan's new film starring Prithviraj will start in Ernakulam on May 25. The shooting of another film directed by Vinod, starring one of the young heroes of the super hit film, `4 the People,' will start at Guruvayur on May 10.

Mr. Kokker said that in case the actors who had received advance payment from producers for films did not start work before May 10, the Chamber would be forced to help the producers in taking legal action for compensation. Some of the films have even completed the recording of songs and the producers could not afford to stall their work further.

Mr. Vinayan alleged that the reports were part of an attempt to dissuade the young actors who were about to start work in their pending projects as well as new works in this week. He said that more new films would be announced this week.

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