MUMBAI: Fearing possible losses that it could incur, producers and exhibitors connected to the Malayalam film industry have decided to lift the ban on releases of new films.

The release of Katha Thudarum, which had got delayed due to the ban, will now release on 7 May. Alexander the Great, the Mohanlal starrer, will hit the silver screens on 5 May and Mammootty‘s Pokkiriraja will open on 6 May.

At a meeting with Kerala Culture Minister M.A. Baby, all the stakeholders of the industry decided to appoint a four-member government committee to which all concerned could meet and convey their problems in writing. The matters would be heard on 12 May.

On 16 April, the state government decided to intervene after the Kerala Film Producers‘ Association decided that no new Malayalam film would be allowed to start shooting as a protest against rising production costs. Further, exhibitors threatened to close down theatres if the stalemate between the producers and Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) was not resolved.

The producers association is at logger heads with the AMMA to cut production costs but without any positive results.

Though the new films release issue was settled on Tuesday, no solution could be found for commencing shooting of new films. 

One of the highlights of the festival will be a retrospective of films of David Lean.

Five films are being screened in the documentaries and short films section. This includes a documentary by Sharathchandran, the award-winning documentary-maker who recently passed away.

The festival is being held in association with the National Film Archive of India, Chalachitra Academy, the State department of Culture and the Federation of Film Societies.