Kochi: The controversy surrounding the film strike in Malayalam industry took a new turn as the Vice President of the Producers Association, G. Suresh Kumar, firmly reiterated that the strike will go ahead as planned.

Speaking to the media after an executive meeting in Kochi, Kumar stated that the Producers Association would not back off from their previously announced strike, stressing that if the decision to halt film production is made, it will be executed.

Kumar's statement comes after the star organisation ‘AMMA’ (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) expressed their stance, declaring that the strike is unnecessary. However, Suresh Kumar made it clear that the producers’ decision to proceed with the strike was not influenced by the actors, stating that the strike's demands were not targeted at the stars, but instead aimed at addressing grievances with the government, particularly with regard to the reduction of excessive taxes. 

"The strike is not against the stars. There are only a handful of stars who produce films. If the producers decide to stop film production, it will be stopped. No star is an integral part of the decision," Kumar clarified. 

Further addressing the controversy surrounding recent comments made by actor-producer Antony Perumbavoor, Kumar stated that he would not engage in any discussions with Perumbavoor unless the latter withdrew the post made against him. Perumbavoor had questioned Kumar’s authority to announce the strike, asking who he was to make such declarations. 

Kumar responded by stating, "I am chairing the meeting in the absence of the president. It was an organisational decision, and the organisation assigned me to it. Antony posted without understanding the matter. When you do something, you should investigate it and respond accordingly. Someone went and misled Mohanlal. There is no issue between Mohanlal and me. So if you say that Mohanlal did something, it is not an issue for me" He made it clear that any misunderstandings about his role or decisions should not be attributed to personal conflicts with actors.

In the midst of the developing situation, the Kerala Film Chamber has taken an official stance by issuing a notice to Antony Perumbavoor, requesting him to withdraw his post that criticised Suresh Kumar. The Film Chamber also confirmed that, after a joint meeting of industry organisations including the Producers Association, the decision to begin the film strike will proceed as scheduled, starting June 1.