MISSISSAUGA, ONT. — Thomas Sajan had plans to watch a South Indian action movie in B.C., but a series of shootings elsewhere caused issues.
Sajan, a big fan of South Indian films, had been eagerly anticipating the screening of Malaikottai Vaaliban, a popular Malayalam-language movie about an aging warrior ruling over a vast desert.
Just before the scheduled showtime in late January, Cineplex informed attendees that the screening was canceled due to reasons beyond their control and promised refunds.
Sajan, who moved to Surrey from Kerala in southern India in 2017, was deeply disappointed by this turn of events.
“I was really sad and we were never told why,” he said in a phone interview earlier this month.
However, the cause of the cancellation soon became clear.
Earlier in the day, police in Ontario reported shootings at four theatres in the Greater Toronto Area, which had planned to show Malaikottai Vaaliban. Windows were broken at some locations, but thankfully, no one was hurt.
York Regional Police stated this month that the drive-by shootings in their area were still under investigation, but they believe the incidents were targeted and carried out by the same perpetrator.
For Sajan and Saleem Padinharkkara, who distributes South Indian films in Canada, those reports were not surprising.
Padinharkkara, a resident of Ontario and founder of film distribution company KW Talkies, alleged that there is an ongoing effort to prevent popular South Indian movies from being shown in major Canadian theatre chains like Cineplex.
He claimed that a group of distributors is working to ensure that these films are only screened in a select group of smaller, independent theatres charging higher ticket prices than large chains such as Cineplex or Landmark Cinemas.
He suggested that this is part of a scheme to secure higher profits by controlling the market.
For instance, he noted that Cineplex tickets can range from $13 to $16, while people can pay up to $30 per ticket to watch a South Indian movie at a smaller theatre.
“It’s like a cartel,” added Padinharkkara, who claimed to have personally received threats for attempting to distribute rights to South Indian movies to specific theatres.
“It’s disheartening. It’s soul destroying. I’ve lost money too. There’s a set of theatres in the GTA that are benefiting from these attacks. For me, it’s very blatant what’s happening but … there’s nobody talking about what’s happening.”
Padinharkkara stated that cancellations, like those affecting Malaikottai Vaaliban, lead to “a big loss” for the distributor.
“There is no way he is going to recover his money and movies have a shelf life.”
The Movie Theatre Association of Canada stated that it “was aware of various incidents that have occurred at member theatre locations” and “it has been tremendously frustrating that criminal activity has prevented theatres from safely playing certain content.
The organization has had “fruitful discussions with Public Safety Canada” and it “is collaborating closely with both local authorities and the federal government to raise awareness,” the statement added.
Public Safety Canada declined to comment on the shootings.
Cineplex’s leader Ellis Jacob said in February that the company experienced financial losses due to the shootings but it remains committed to offering international programming, which accounts for 10 percent of its annual box office revenues compared with four percent at many of its counterparts.
“We are working very closely with the authorities,” Jacob said, noting that the most important thing is the safety of staff and moviegoers.
Canadian interest in South Indian cinema has been increasing.
Sajan linked that partially to the pandemic, when people were looking for a wider variety of content to stream with theatres closed. He also mentioned the growing numbers of immigrants from southern India.
Padinharkkara stated that in 2010 rights to distribute a South Indian movie in Canada cost between $10,000 and $20,000. Now those rights can cost up to $200,000.
Sajan has initiated a petition signed by about 500 people urging the federal government, the RCMP, Cineplex, Landmark Cinemas and others to take action.
“These criminal activities not only undermine the cultural diversity represented by South Indian cinema but also limit the choices available to movie lovers in Canada,” his petition states.
“The attacks and intimidation tactics against theatres daring to show South Indian movies demonstrate a blatant disregard for the principles of fair competition and freedom of artistic expression.”
— with files from Tara Deschamps.
