Actor Jayamala outlines vision for Kannada film industry as KFCC’s new chief

Actor Jayamala, the newly-elected President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, unfolds her hopes and plans for the industry

Actor and politician Jayamala was elected President of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) for the second time on January 31, 2026. She had earlier served in the same position from June 2008 to May 2010, and was the first woman to hold this office in the history of KFCC at that time.

In an industry quick to celebrate novelty and swift to forget its veterans, Jayamala’s 53-year presence stands as a testament to continuity, in an arc that mirrors the transformation of Kannada cinema itself.

Jayamala shared her plans for Kannada cinema at a time when the 93-year-old film industry is struggling with a success rate of 3%. “Kannada cinema will soon turn 100, and is facing issues with economic and technical changes,” Jayamala begins. “As in the past, the government of Karnataka has to rescue it by releasing the subsidy amount, which has not been distributed since 2021.”

“Hopefully, in the days to come the government will initiate action to release the subsidy amount of a particular year,” Jayamala adds.

There is an urgent need of a comprehensive Kannada film policy aimed at giving special encouragement to Kannada and regional language films, Jayamala says.

Even as she acknowledges Karnataka’s status as a cosmopolitan state, Jayamala believes the simultaneous release of films in multiple languages has become a major problem for Kannada cinema. “Only Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films are released in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala respectively. What is needed is consultation and conversation, not debate or competition in the exhibition sector,” she says, with regard to this issue.