The Kerala Film Policy Conclave, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at bringing about reform to the Kerala film industry through various policies, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on August 2.
The event saw the attendance of some of the industry's biggest stalwarts, including Mohanlal, apart from leading figures in South Indian cinema like Vetrimaaran and independent cinema veteran Sudhir Mishra.
Sharing the news of the inauguration of the conclave on his social media handles, the CM wrote: "Inaugurated the Kerala Film Policy Conclave today in Thiruvananthapuram—India’s first of its kind. Leading voices from within and beyond Malayalam cinema have come together to chart a new course for the industry. This landmark initiative marks a significant step in shaping the future of Malayalam cinema."
The policy is expected to steer things in the right direction, considering the dark cloud that hung over the industry following the disconcerting chain of events spawned by the Hema Committee Report that happened last year.
Day 1 of the event, which saw the participation of Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian, was marked by discussions on numerous issues faced by the industry, with a focus on safety, working hours, inclusivity, legal safeguards and much more.
Among the topics discussed were "defined working hours, employment laws, work overload, and job security. There was also a strong suggestion that both male and female representatives must be present in grievance redressal cells. Discussions at the conclave strongly raised the demand for legal safeguards against online hate and cyberattacks. There was also a call to form a state-level jury for selecting films for various film festivals."
Cherian said he wished the entire film industry shouldn't be seen as "problematic" due to "isolated incidents" and that "once the policy framework is in place, stricter measures will be adopted wherever necessary."
The conclave also discussed the need to introduce a general financing incentive scheme for Malayalam cinema, with special provisions for women and marginalised communities. Also proposed in the draft was the production of films from other Indian languages and foreign languages in Kerala.
An apex body in the form of the Film Development Council, chaired by Pinarayi Vijayan and co-chaired by Saji Cherian, with an industry representative as vice-chairman, will oversee the developments in the industry.