Kerala budget's ₹7-cr boost enthuses women filmmakers, but utilisation is key, they say

While the Kerala state budget, presented by KN Balagopal in the Assembly on Thursday, did not address all the needs of the film industry, it delivered a notable boost to women filmmakers. The finance minister has earmarked ₹7 crore exclusively for women filmmakers — an initiative that could empower many aspiring voices to bring their stories to the screen, directors said.

Over the past four years, the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), the government body responsible for supporting women and SC/ST filmmakers, has funded the production of 10 films. With this fresh allocation, there is renewed hope that even more women will gain the opportunity to produce and showcase their own movies.

However, while the allocation is a step in the right direction, women filmmakers emphasised the need for these funds to be utilised effectively. Currently, the government allocates ₹1.5 crore to each filmmaker, with an annual target of producing four films — two by women filmmakers and two by SC/ST filmmakers, totalling ₹6 crore, every year. “If the government has now earmarked ₹7 crore exclusively for women filmmakers, it represents a substantial increase in funding. What needs to be determined now is the exact amount that will be allocated to each filmmaker,” said Shruthi Sharanyam, who helmed the award-winning film ‘B32 Muthal 44 Vare’.

She, however, pointed out that allocating funds alone is not enough. “Films, even those made on modest budgets of ₹1.5 crore, require effective marketing and promotion to reach their intended audiences. While we can produce good films within budget, proper marketing is essential for them to find their audience. Promotion must begin well before a film reaches theatres and continue afterwards. OTT platforms, in particular, are a strong medium for further popularising films,” she said. Shruthi also pressed the need for effective use of the government-run C-Space.

Vidhu Vincent, the director of the critically-acclaimed  ‘Manhole’, said the decision to set aside ₹7 crore was an acknowledgement by the state government itself. “Even before we formed the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), we had held discussions with the Kerala government, conveying the concerns of women filmmakers who wanted to make films. When the WCC was eventually formed, this remained one of our primary concerns. Filmmaking is not easy for debutants, both women and men. But women face additional challenges when accessing funds. In that context, every bit of financial support helps. How effectively this money is utilised is a separate discussion altogether,” she said.

'Freedom Fight' director Kunjila Mascilamani termed the budget as ‘moderately good’ and welcomed the government’s effort to support women filmmakers. “The government should allocate more funds to individual films to ensure better quality. In today’s context, making good commercial films requires substantial investment, and this initiative could prove to be supportive,” she said.