Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launches India's first state-owned OTT platform
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 7: Kerala on Thursday launched India's first government-owned OTT platform 'CSpace' with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan terming it as a decisive step in the onward journey of Malayalam Cinema.
Inaugurating CSpace, managed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), at a function at Kairali Theatre here, the chief minister said this is a pioneering initiative that gives prominence to films with artistic and cultural value without hurting the mainstream film industry.
Noting that earning profit is the prime motive of the private-sector OTT platforms that mostly go for commercial movies, CSpace is set to make a mark as a medium that brings home quality films, he said.
"Private OTT platforms give prominence to films in the most widely spoken language since their prime motive is to maximise profit. The priority of CSpace, on the other hand, is to onboard and stream contents with artistic and cultural values. This will also help the promotion of the Malayalam language and culture," Vijayan said.
The launch of CSpace also signifies leveraging of the cutting-edge technologies which will define Malayalam Cinema in the future, he said.
The decision that CSpace will only stream films that are already released in theatres signifies that this is not a move that will harm the interests of the film industry. Its aim is to promote good cinema without hurting the interests of the producers and exhibitors, the chief minister said.
Presiding over the function, Culture Minister Saji Cherian said the launch of CSpace aligned well with the government's policy of supporting art and artists representing diverse traditions, he said.
The films that win state, national and international awards will be streamed on the platform, he said.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty, Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, Antony Raju, MLA, and Mayor Arya Rajendran were also present at the function.
KSFDC Chairman and eminent director Shaji N Karun said CSpace is a novel initiative that seeks to help producers to get back their investment through crowd-funding route.
Total transparency in profit it earns and the number of viewers it attracts are the distinguishing features of the platform, he said.
KSFDC is a state-owned company entrusted with the promotion of Malayalam Cinema and industry, under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala.
For selection of the content, KSFDC has constituted a 60-member curator panel including eminent cultural personalities like Benyamin, OV Usha, Santhosh Sivan, Shyamaprasad, Sunny Joseph, and Jeo Baby.
Every content that is submitted will be evaluated by the curators considering its artistic, cultural and infotainment merit, before showcasing it on the platform.
A total of 42 films have been selected in the first phase for streaming on CSpace, including 35 feature films, six documentaries, and one short film. Films that have won national or state awards and those exhibited at major film festivals will also be streamed.
Another distinctive feature of CSpace is transparency in its operations and the overall earnings and the revenue share.
The platform, which operates on a pay per view basis, allows viewers to watch a feature film for Rs 75 and shorter contents for a much lesser price. Exactly half of the amount charged goes to the content provider.
Viewers can download the CSpace app from the PlayStore and the App Store from today onwards.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
