The token strike announced by various film bodies in Kerala has been called off following assurances from the state government. The protest, which was scheduled to take place on January 21, was withdrawn after discussions with Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian.

Kerala Film Chamber president Anil V Thomas said the decision was taken after the minister assured representatives that the industry’s concerns would be addressed. According to Anil, the minister acknowledged that the demands raised by film organisations were valid and said the matter would be discussed with the Chief Minister to arrive at a solution. The government has sought a two-week period to work towards resolving the issues.

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With the strike called off, theatres across Kerala will reopen as scheduled, Anil confirmed.

The token protest had been announced with the support of the Film Chamber, which represents film producers, distributors and theatre owners, along with actors’ body AMMA and the technicians’ union FEFKA.

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A key demand raised by the industry is the removal of entertainment tax imposed by local bodies in addition to GST. Film organisations had earlier indicated that they would consider stronger measures if their concerns were not addressed.

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