Stalemate continues over release of Mohanlal’s ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea’ in theatres

By Online Desk

CHENNAI: While the stalemate continues over the release of the big-budget Mohanlal starrer, Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, some reports suggest that the producer of the movie, Antony Perumbavoor has resigned from the post of vice president of the Film Exhibitors Union Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK). The office-bearers of FEUOK are yet to confirm the producer’s resignation from the organisation. Actor Dileep is the chairman of FEUOK. 

Marakkar is dubbed the most expensive Malayalam movie. The film was slated for release on March 26, 2020, but the outbreak of Covid-19 and the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the virus delayed the release of the movie. A plan to release the movie in March this year didn’t fructify as well.

Meanwhile, Antony Perumbavoor had placed several demands before the theatre owners for releasing the film in theatres. He reportedly demanded the theatre owners pay an equal amount offered by the OTT platform for releasing the movie in theatres. The president of FEUOK K Vijayakumar apparently turned down the demand. The producer also demanded a guarantee of screening the movie for at least three weeks in a minimum of 200 theatres, a report said.

Even as the theatres opened in the state on Wednesday, the producer is of the view that releasing the movie in theatres would not be profitable at this point when only fifty percent of the seating capacity is allowed in theatres.

A few days ago, the producer had announced the OTT release of Marakkar. The theatre owners had come out against this move.

Priyadarshan is the director of the big-budget movie. The film has already had its share of controversies with Mufeeda Arafat Marakkar, a descendant of Kunjali Marakkar, a 16th-century Muslim naval chief, claiming that the biopic is a distortion of history.

The film was adjudged the best feature film at the 67th national film awards. Besides, Mohanlal the cast includes Pranav Mohanlal, the late Nedumudi Venu, Suniel Shetty, Arjun Sarja, Manju Warrier, Keerthy Suresh, and Kalyani Priyadarshan.