Dispute over minimum guarantee amount
A new controversy has cropped up in the Malayalam film industry with the Kerala Film Exhibitors Federation (KFEF) turning against Antony Perumbavur, producer of upcoming Mohanlal starrer Sagar alias Jackie - Reloaded. What irked exhibitors was the 'minimum guarantee scheme' introduced by Antony Perumbavur.
According to this 'minimum guarantee scheme', the proprietor of a theatre has to pay a huge advance amount to the distributor; if the film fails at the box office, the theatre owner has to bear the losses. The KFEF has threatened not to screen Antony Perumbavur's Sagar alias Jackie - Reloaded, which is slated for release on March 26 if the producer continues to insist on demanding 'minimum guarantee' from�theatre-owners.
Liberty Basheer, president of KFEF said that the production companies like Navodaya, Central Pictures, Grihalakshmi, Century films, Aroma movies, Kokker Release and Seven Arts had never demanded such minimum guarantee amounts.
This system, tried by distributors in Tamil Nadu while releasing superstar films,�was later withdrawn. Some films by Antony Perumabavur had flopped while others were successful. Basheer alleged�Antony, who�had started his distribution company, was pressurising theatre owners, adding that a meeting of all film associations is planned to finalize future arrangements.
