Fresh trouble brews in Malayalam film industry

Thiruvananthapuram, April 18 (IANS) In a sign of fresh trouble for the Malayalam film industry, nearly 300 members of a technician's body disrupted a film shoot in Palakkad in Kerala protesting the attitude of leading stars Mammootty and Dileep.

Members of Federation of Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA) disrupted the shooting of "Bodyguard", which stars Dileep, and had a scuffle with crew members leading to the police stopping the shoot.

Trouble first broke out early last year when Dileep refused to act in a film by Thulasidas, following a string of flops by the director. The dispute remains unresolved and the MACTA has accused both Mammotty and Dileep of trying to scuttle the future of the body.

Last year MACTA, comprising 19 different associations of the Malayalam film industry, split with the big names in the industry floating Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA).

While MACTA is being led by director Vinayan and has a huge membership base, the FEFKA includes most of the big time directors like Joshi, I.V. Sasi, Siddique, Lal, Sathyan Anthicad, Renjith, Renji Panicker.

While FEFKA has the full blessings of the most influential Malayalam film body Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), the MACTA is now affiliated with the Communist Party of India.

Meanwhile, Thulasidas said that a protest of this nature was not acceptable.

"A protest in a shooting location is not acceptable because it really would hamper the work of actors and the director. They have to work in a totally stress-free atmosphere. This is not good," Thulasidas told reporters here. Click the Movie button below for more info:
Bodyguard