With Marivillin Gopurangal starring Indrajith Sukumaran postponed, at least three new Malayalam movies hit theater screens worldwide this Eid, 2024. Period satirical drama Varshangalkku Shesham written and directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan and starring Pranav Mohanlal, Dhyan Sreenivasan, action comedy Aavesham starring and produced by Fahadh Faasil, and the Unni Mukundan starrer mystery thriller Jai Ganesh, released in cinemas on April 11, 2024. 

Aavesham ticket kittiyath 11 km akale. Thanks to PVR INOX ban 🤦🏽‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️

— 👤S (@jogobonito_49) April 11, 2024

Howover PVR-INOX, the biggest multiplex chain in India is not screening any of the Eid 2024 Malayalam movie releases throughout the country. PVR-INOX is currently in a tussle with the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA), as the latter has started a new content-providing company named PDC, and is pushing for theatres in Kerala to take up content only through PDC.

This has resulted in PVR-INOX not just banning new Malayalam movies like Varshangalkku Shesham, Aavesham, and  Jai Ganesh throughout India, but also removing Malayalam movies that were running to full screens like Aadujeevitham, Premalu and Manjummel Boys all over India. 

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

— Kamal Gianchandani (@kamalgianc) April 11, 2024

Commenting on the same, Kamal Gianchandani, head of PVR Pictures Limited & PVR Limited has said in an official statement,

"At the outset, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all our Producer and Distributor friends in Malayalam Film Industry for their unwavering support for the theatrical platform and their significant contribution to the revival of theatres post Covid-19. No one holds greater respect for all the Producers releasing their films in our theatres than all of us at PVRINOX.

 

Normally, we try to keep the industry related matters to ourselves, but we have come across several one-sided media reports regarding PVRINOX's disagreement with the Producers Association on some commercial matters, and therefore it is important that we share our point of view.

 

Our newly inaugurated 9-screen cinema, PVR FORUM Kochi, has been advised by the Association to source Malayalam movie content exclusively through one channel i.e. through the content mastering and distribution network run by the Association. Such an action of forcing an exhibitor to procure content from only one source is anti- competitive in nature and prohibited under the law. As a law-abiding member of Indian Film Industry, we are unable to comply with this advice. Just as the parents love their children equally, for us as a national cinema chain, every cinema is important and it's incumbent on us that equal opportunity to showcase new movies is provided to all our newly opened cinemas.

We have always been a reliable partner to all Malayalam Film Industry Studios, Producers, Artists, and other creators. We will be delighted to have all Malayalam Films play at PVR FORUM Kochi and our other cinemas in Kerala as well as Pan- India. We would like to appeal to all the Producers and Film makers to constructively engage with us and help us make Malayalam Film Industry bigger and better."