‘Writers hold the power’: Prithviraj Sukumaran on what makes Malayalam cinema different

Actor and filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran warned that Malayalam cinema's most valuable quality, the fact that writers hold the power rather than stars or production houses, is showing signs of erosion.

Actor-filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran has explained both his personal approach to filmmaking and what he believes makes Malayalam cinema fundamentally different from every other film industry in India. Prithviraj made the remarks at the 16th edition of Expresso, held at Taj Lands End in Mumbai.

When Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, asked Prithviraj who in Malayalam cinema, between the production house and star, wins the commercial battle, the actor said he produces a significant number of the films he appears in through his banner Prithviraj Productions, and for the majority of those projects, he forgoes a conventional salary in favour of a financial stake in the film.

“With me, I’ve produced a lot of the films that I act in. And for most of the films I act in, I don’t take a salary. I have a stake in the film,” he said.