Suresh Kumar says Mohanlal was ‘misled’, insists there is no rift ahead of producers’ strike: ‘What upset the stars is our decision to…’

Despite opposition from the actors’ union, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), the Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) has reiterated its decision to proceed with the planned strike, starting June 1. Mentioning that AMMA ad-hoc committee president and superstar Mohanlal had been misled by some people, KFPA vice-president G Suresh Kumar clarified that the recent incidents had not caused any personal rift between them. Mohanlal and Suresh Kumar have been friends since childhood, with their camaraderie continuing in the film industry following their respective debuts as well. The producer also denied ever referring to AMMA as an organisation lacking leadership.

Suresh Kumar further maintained that the strike was directed at the government, with demands for reductions in entertainment tax and electricity charges, rather than being a protest against film stars. Addressing the media after an executive meeting of KFPA in Kochi on Monday, he stated, “This strike is not against actors. Only a few stars are involved in film production. If producers decide to halt film production, the industry will come to a standstill.” He underscored that double taxation and rising actors’ remuneration are among the key challenges faced by producers.

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Regarding producer Antony Perumbavoor’s controversial Facebook post about the proposed strike and him, Suresh Kumar said he had no intention of engaging in a conversation with him on the matter. While insisting that he harboured no resentment towards Antony, he maintained that the claims made in the post were incorrect and demanded a retraction. “He questioned my authority to make the statements regarding the strike. My organisation entrusted me with this responsibility. He should have verified the facts before making such remarks,” Suresh added.

When asked whether Mohanlal’s decision not to extend support had upset him, Suresh Kumar responded, “Someone went and misled Mohanlal, which is why he did it. There is no issue between us. So if you say that Mohanlal did something, it is not an issue for me.” Notably, Mohanlal had also shared Antony’s Facebook post. Among those who supported Antony’s stance were actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Tovino Thomas. Suresh Kumar further remarked, “What upset them is our decision to publicly disclose box office collections of theatrical releases. But we will not back down. The next report, covering February’s collections, will be published in a week.”