In a major reform to its work culture, the Malayalam film industry has officially reduced the working hours of film professionals from 16 hours to 12 hours a day, following discussions between the Producers’ Association and representatives of various film organisations. The decision marks a significant departure from a decades-old practice and comes into effect immediately, with call sheets now required to clearly specify a 12-hour working day. The agreement was signed on Monday by the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA) and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA). In addition to reduced working hours, the deal introduces multiple shifts, standardised food and on-set facilities, and higher pay rates for night shoots and overtime work.

FEFKA general secretary B Unnikrishnan said the industry would now operate with morning and afternoon shifts, along with mandatory breaks. “We earlier had 16 working hours. Now it has been reduced to 12. There will be multiple shifts, and the agreement assures one-hour breaks each for lunch and dinner,” he told reporters in Kochi. He added that crew members working night schedules or overtime would be paid additional remuneration. The Producers’ Association has also assured that the reduction in working hours will not result in any cut in wages. Until now, call sheets across the industry routinely specified a 16-hour workday, which applied uniformly to actors and technical crew.

The revised framework will be enforced through periodic inspections at shooting locations to ensure compliance with the agreement. The reforms will apply across departments, including actors, technicians and other on-set workers. FEFKA, the apex body representing film workers in Kerala, comprises 21 trade unions with more than 8,000 members, including directors, cinematographers, editors, musicians, art directors, technicians, drivers and mess workers.

In a statement issued on Monday, FEFKA described the agreement as a historic milestone. The organisation said its long-standing demand for a 12-hour working day had finally been realised, correcting decades of irregular and extended work schedules that often stretched from the start of shooting until the director called “pack up”. It noted that the formation of FEFKA as a trade union in 2008 marked a turning point in raising demands such as additional wages for night shoots. Unnikrishnan also pointed to scheduling delays caused by actors failing to adhere to call times, stating that technicians often prepare sets and wait for hours. He said the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) should also be made a party to such agreements to ensure accountability across the industry.

Film bodies further criticised actors over high remuneration and limited participation in promotional activities. KFPA secretary Listin Stephen said the Producers’ Association had written to AMMA seeking discussions on actors’ fees. “The industry is running at a loss. Nearly 99 per cent of films fail at the box office. In such a situation, we have sought negotiations,” he said. Responding to FEFKA’s demand for a wage revision, Stephen said a salary hike for crew members was not feasible at present, noting that there had been no revision in nearly three and a half years but the industry’s financial condition made it difficult.

FEFKA also highlighted its Health Security Scheme, which provides medical assistance of up to ₹3 lakh per year to members, as an example of its welfare initiatives.