No ban on Malayalam movies

Chennai cinema halls are seeing no new Malayalam films, despite the two big stars ��� Mohanlal and Mammootty ��� having releases this weekend.
There have been allegations from the Kerala Malayalam Film Distributors��� Association that this is due to Tamil Nadu���s stand on the Mullaperiyar issue. But, theatre owners here say otherwise.
While the two films, Venicile Vyapari, starring Mammootty, and Arabiyum Ottakavum P Madhavan Nairum, starring Mohanlal and directed by Priyadarshan, didn���t release this week, cinema hall owners here say there is no connection to the ongoing political issue.Abirami Ramanathan, president of the Theatre Owners��� Federation in Chennai, had previously told us, ���We do not entertain decisions to stop the release of any film. Just like Malayalam films are doing well in TN, Tamil movies are running successfully in Kerala.��� Theatre owners in the city maintain that the numerous Tamil releases and Tom Cruise���s big flick are the reasons why they couldn���t accommodate Malayalam films. Malayalam director Shafi, whose Mammootty-starrer is yet to release, confirms there���s no ban. He says, ���That my film Venicile Vyapaari hasn���t yet released in Tamil Nadu has nothing to do with the Mullaperiyar issue. Since most Malayalis in Tamil Nadu will be visiting Kerala for Christmas vacations, we know that the BO collections will not be all that impressive. The film will be released in Chennai on December 30.��� Lal Jose, whose Spanish Masala will hit screens in January, says, ���Very few Malayalam movies get released in Tamil Nadu, that too once in a while. Hence, a ban on an MTown flick doesn���t affect Mollywood. One shouldn���t mix art and politics. If politicians are kicking up issues for political gain, the public shouldn���t fall for it.���