On April 11, 2024 India's most popular multiplex chain PVR-INOX made a shocking move to not screen any Malayalam movies throughout the country, and even went to the extent of removing existing screens of films that were running to packed shows. Kamal Gianchandani of PVR-INOX confirmed that the their company's disagreement with the Kerala Film Producers' Association (KFPA), over the condition that only PDC (Producers’ Digital Cinema) i.e. the content provider of KFPA, should be used for Malayalam movies, had lead to the Malayalam movies ban.

Statement regarding release of Malayalam Films at PVR Forum Kochi #PVRINOX #Malayalam #Malayalamfilms pic.twitter.com/f92VnZLoaV

— Kamal Gianchandani (@kamalgianc) April 11, 2024

Malayalam movies that released on April 11, 2024 like Fahadh Faasil's Aavesham, Vineeth Sreenivasan directed Varshangalkku Shesham, the Unni Mukundan starrer mystery thriller Jai Ganesh, and the recently popular Aadujeevitham (Prithviraj-Blessy), Premalu, and Manjummel Boys were significantly affected, because of this move. 

PVR-INOX's decision was met with the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) threatening to stage protests in front of the multiplexes belonging to the PVR-INOX chain, and demand for compensation for the losses incurred to the imposed ban. PVR-INOX then announced on Saturday that it is lifting the Malayalam movies ban, starting Vishu i.e. April 14, 2024 [Sunday]. 

In a press announcement, Aadujeevitham director Blessy stated that had FEFKA not intervened, the likes of him would have staged a protest in front of the PVR Cinemas in Lulu Mall in Kochi, Kerala. B. Rakesh, secretary of the KFPA, said that PVR-INOX representatives informed their decision to resume screening of Malayalam movies, and are ready to hold talks within a week, to resolve the VPF issue. 

PDC by KFPA came into the picture citing exorbitant VPF charges by popular content providers like Qube, UFO, PXD, TSR, etc. It remains to be seen what kind of resolution PVR-INOX and KFPA come to in the upcoming days over PDC and VPF. 

B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary of FEFKA, thanked M. A. Yusuff Ali, chairman of the Lulu Group (PVR-INOX has many screens in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram malls under the group), for his intervention.