Biju Menon skipped Drishyam director's film promotion, Rs 25 lakh loss: Unnikrishnan
The FEFKA general secretary B Unnikrishnan alleges the actor's absence from promotional events caused a producer a Rs 25 lakh loss.
Filmmaker and general secretary of Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), B Unnikrishnan, has accused actor Biju Menon of failing to honour promotional commitments, claiming it led to financial losses for a producer.
Speaking at a press conference organised by FEFKA and the Kerala Film Producers’ Association, Unnikrishnan said a leading actor’s absence from promotional events resulted in a producer losing Rs 25 lakh that was expected from a television deal.
He later named Biju Menon while referring to the issue and also pointed out that the actor did not participate in promotional activities for the recently released film Valathu Vashathe Kallan, directed by Jeethu Joseph.
Valathu Vashathe Kallan is a Malayalam-language crime thriller that released on January 30, 2026. Directed by Jeethu Joseph and written by Dinu Thomas Eelan, the film is produced by Shaji Nadesan and features Biju Menon and Joju George in prominent roles.
Unnikrishnan stressed that promotional appearances are part of the contract under the Producers’ Association and questioned the lack of seriousness in fulfilling such obligations. “Promotion is part of the Producers’ Association contract. What I am saying is that at least ten per cent of the firmness shown while negotiating remuneration should be shown here as well,” he said. Biju Menon has not issued a response to the criticism so far.
He also raised concerns about discipline on film sets, noting that late arrivals by some actors have affected production schedules. His comments came as FEFKA and the Producers’ Association signed a revised agreement aimed at improving working conditions in the Malayalam film industry, including a cap of 12 working hours a day for technicians.