Why Mollywood Will Pause Completely on January 22 2026, Inside the Strike That Could Change Malayalam Cinema
The Malayalam film industry is set to witness an unprecedented shutdown on January 22 2026. On this day, cinema halls across Kerala will remain closed and all film shootings and production related activities will come to a halt. This decision has been taken jointly by producers exhibitors and major film bodies as a strong protest against mounting financial pressure and lack of government support.
Mollywood has earned nationwide respect in recent years for its strong storytelling realistic performances and content driven cinema. Films starring actors like Mammootty Mohanlal Fahadh Faasil and Prithviraj Sukumaran have found audiences beyond Kerala. Despite this creative success the industry is quietly battling a serious financial crisis.
A Growing Industry Under Heavy Stress
Behind the praise and awards lies a harsh reality. Producing and releasing a Malayalam film has become increasingly expensive while returns at the box office continue to shrink. In 2025 nearly 180 Malayalam films were released but only around ten managed to make profits. This shows how risky filmmaking has become even for experienced producers.
A few films stood out and attracted audiences such as Empuraan starring Mohanlal Lokah Chapter One Chandra and Thudarum. However most films failed to recover their investment. Even movies featuring known stars struggled to survive beyond the first week in theatres.
Producers say the cost of filmmaking has increased sharply. Actor fees technicians salaries location expenses and post production costs have all gone up. At the same time theatre footfall has reduced due to changing viewing habits and competition from digital platforms.
Why the Industry Chose to Strike
According to Kerala Film Chamber Secretary Anil Thomas the biggest problem is financial loss. He pointed out that the film industry is facing multiple taxes which are making survival difficult. Industry members argue that they are paying both central tax and additional state level entertainment tax which they believe is unfair. Another major issue is the high electricity charges imposed on theatres by the Kerala State Electricity Board. Theatre owners claim that power bills have become one of their biggest expenses especially when collections are low.
Producers are also unhappy with the complicated process of getting shooting permissions. Currently filmmakers need approvals from multiple government departments which causes delays and increases costs. They are demanding a single window clearance system that would make the process faster and more transparent.
United Stand by Producers and Exhibitors
The strike has received full backing from the Kerala Film Producers Association and theatre owners. They believe that stopping all activities for one day will send a strong message to the government about the seriousness of the situation. Earlier representatives from the industry met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and submitted their demands. These included removal of the additional entertainment tax reduction in electricity tariffs and easier permissions for shooting.
What Happens After January 22
If discussions with the state government do not lead to concrete solutions the industry may move towards an indefinite shutdown. Reports suggest that the government could hold talks with film bodies around January 14 2026 but no official confirmation has been made so far.
Many within the industry fear that if the current situation continues Malayalam cinema could lose its strong production base. Technicians junior artists theatre workers and daily wage employees would be the worst affected.
January 22 is not just a strike date. It is a warning signal from an industry known for creativity and quality storytelling that it is struggling to survive. What happens next will decide the future direction of Mollywood.
