Thiruvananthapuram (UNI): The Malayalam film industry in Kerala virtually came to a standstill as the entire movie fraternity stayed off work demanding stringent steps against video piracy. All the 22 organisations in the Malayalam film industry, including Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, Kerala Film Producers Association, Film Distributors Association (Kerala), Film Exhibitors Federation, Cine Exhibitors Association, AMMA, MACTA, MACTA Federation, and Trivandrum film fraternity and others joined hands in the ''rights day rally'', followed by a sit-in protest in front of the state secretariat.

All the actors of Malayalam film industry, including superstars Mammooty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi also participated in the rally. Since all the people from the industry took part in the movement, shooting and screening of the films cross the state were affected. Addressing the rally, Mammooty and Mohanlal said the rally was to expose the problems faced by the Malayalam film industry because of the video piracy, which had become a great threat to the survival of Malayalam cinema.

Congratulating the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government for initiating stern action against video piracy, the film fraternity extended solidarity to the government's action in this regard. The police had to brandish lathi to disperse the crowd that had gathered around the secretariat to have a glimpse of the superstar