Director Vinayan moves Kerala High Court seeking removal of B Unnikrishnan from government film panel

Malayalam film director Vinayan has moved the Kerala High Court seeking the removal of another director B Unnikrishnan from an advisory panel formed by the State government in 2023 to suggest a policy to reform the Malayalam cinema industry [TG Vinay Kumar@Vinayan v State of Kerala]..The advisory committee had been tasked with suggesting a policy based on the findings of the Justice K Hema Committee, which had studied working conditions for women in Mollywood.Vinayan has contended that the inclusion of B Unnikrishnan - who currently serves as the secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) - in the State's film policy advisory panel is not justifiable and would affect its neutrality.This, he says, is because Unnikrishnan is part of the Mollywood 'power group' mentioned in the Justice Hema Committee Report.Vinayan's plea states that Unnikrishnan’s inclusion would perpetuate issues of exploitation, male dominance, and discrimination against women in the film industry. .The plea claims that Unnikrishnan has a history of exploiting his influence for personal gain, suppressing dissenting voices and had also played a role in banning Vinayan from the Malayalam cinema industry. Vinayan had earlier filed a complaint with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to challenge this unofficial ban and alleging anti-competitive practices within FEFKA. The CCI imposed a penalty on Unnikrishnan and other FEFKA office-bearers and this order was upheld by the Supreme Court as well, Vinayan recounted.Vinayan added that such a person who has been penalized for unethical conduct should not hold a position of influence on a policy committee aimed at improving the film industry’s standards."A person who has specifically contributed for the deplorable condition of the Kerala Cinema Industry, as revealed by the report of Justice Hema Committee, by his illegal, improper and arbitrary conduct ... is not fit to sit in a committee which is supposed to be constituted to undo the mischief and to preserve the Cinema industry,” the petition read..He added that the committee would fail to accomplish its purpose of reforming the Malayalam film industry if it is influenced by individuals like Unnikrishnan.Vinayan further said that he had written to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Minister for Cultural Department, opposing the inclusion of Unnikrishnan.He moved the High Court for relief after he did not receive any response to these representations.He has urged the Court to quash the government's 2023 notification in so far as it adds Unnikrishnan as a member of the advisory committee.The petition has been filed through advocates KR Prathish, PK Sreevalsakrishnan, S Unnikrishnan (Nellad), Akhil Babu and Krishna Das.