‘Eko’ earned far higher profits than ‘Empuraan’: JSK director on KFPA’s ‘profit-making films’ list

Filmmaker Pravin Narayanan, director of Suresh Gopi-starrer ‘JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala’, has come out in support of ‘Narivetta’ director Anuraj Manohar, who recently criticised the Kerala Film Producers’ Association (KFPA) over its list of profit-making films released last year. Backing Anuraj, Pravin questioned the criteria used by the association to publish such figures.

Out of more than 180 films released this year, fewer than twenty were classified as ‘super hits’ according to the KFPA list, as per media reports.

Taking to Facebook, Narayan said, “It would be good if the Producers’ Association clearly explains the criteria on which these figures are being released. Earlier this year, figures were published for a few months, and then, suddenly, one fine morning, they were stopped. Now, at the end of the year, the association has returned with annual figures."

He underlined how the list can mislead new investors, stating, “Cinema is a business, and it has financial potential beyond theatres as well. When a list suggests that only a certain number of films have succeeded, it is bound to mislead many people, especially those who are new to investing in this field.

Narayan pointed out that, according to the association’s list, ‘Empuraan’ has been classified as a superhit, while ‘Eko’ has been labelled merely a hit.

If the budget and collection figures circulated by tracking pages are accurate, ‘Eko’ earned significantly higher profits than ‘Empuraan’, yet it has not been recognised as a superhit. He added that listing films as hits or superhits without even mentioning their budgets naturally raises doubts.

"If we look at the figures for this year released by tracking agencies that many producers themselves accept, it becomes clear that only ‘Narivetta’ and ‘Sumathi Valavu’, which were part of the hit list, are missing from the association’s list,” he said.

Narayan demanded the release of “a comprehensive and inclusive list” rather than “half-baked statements without a beginning or an end.”

“As Anuraj said, every film is a battle. No one was lifted up by holding their hand; only worn-out shoes and sweat-soaked shirts stand witness. You may choose to ignore the hard work, but do not trample on it,” Narayan concluded.