The promotional press meet for the Kannada film Korgajja, scheduled on 24th January at the Grand Ballroom of Holiday Inn, Kochi, was reportedly disrupted due to a scheduling clash with a Malayalam film event starring Mammootty. The incident has raised questions about professional coordination and respect for pre-scheduled events in smaller film markets.
According to the Korgajja team, invitations had been sent to all Kochi-based media nearly a week in advance through their PR office. Veteran actor Kabir Bedi and senior actress Bhavya had specially travelled to Kochi to attend the event, underscoring the importance of the press meet.
However, a day before the scheduled event, Mammootty’s team announced a press conference for their film Chathapach at the exact same time. The Korgajja team claims this left media representatives with no choice but to prioritise Mammootty’s event, forcing them to cancel their own press meet. Kabir Bedi and the visiting team reportedly felt insulted by the sudden change.
Director Sudhir Attavar and producer Trivikram Sapalya expressed strong disappointment, calling the incident unacceptable and damaging to the industry’s image. They noted that Kabir Bedi, who had arrived in Kochi specifically for the event, was deeply hurt by the situation.
The Korgajja team also alleged that their PR received a phone call around midnight, requesting them to cancel or postpone their event. The cancellation came despite significant investments in venue bookings, hospitality, and logistics. Attavar pointed out that in smaller cities like Kochi, journalists often cover multiple beats, making coordination critical to avoid clashes.
“Professional courtesy should have been observed. Scheduling two major film events simultaneously disrupts promotions and disrespects artists who have made special arrangements,” Attavar said. He added that the Kannada and Malayalam film industries share audiences, especially in Bengaluru, and such incidents risk creating unnecessary tensions.
Kabir Bedi commented on the incident, saying:
“I have immense respect for Malayalam cinema. I came to Kochi to support Korgajja, but this situation was extremely unfortunate. It is possible that Mammootty was not personally aware, but last-minute disruption is not acceptable. Coordination with media or PR offices is essential.”
Senior actress Bhavya also expressed disappointment, calling the event disrespectful to globally recognised talent. Producer Trivikram Sapalya noted that while Korgajja received strong support in other cities, the Kochi incident significantly affected the film’s promotion. A rescheduled press interaction at 5:00 pm drew limited media coverage, compounding the impact.
Industry observers have criticised the lack of coordination and called the incident a professional lapse, emphasising that such clashes can harm the reputation of both films and artists involved
Subscribe Deshwale on YouTube
