Allegations, bans and hate speeches; the air is hot in the Malayalam film industry.
Even though the conflicting film organisations were brought to peaceful terms, various sections still find it hard to stomach the haughty dominance of a few who control the industry.
Few stars who swim against the stream find it hard to express their liberal views, even through cinema — a case in point being the fiery setbacks faced by the movie Padmasree Bharath Dr Saroj Kumar and the consequential isolation of actor Sreenivasan.
“I did not mean to mock any particular superstar through my film. It was intended to be satirical and humourous,” Sreenivasan confesses.
“If the film has hurt someone's sentiments it is probably because their own conscience is pricking them. Any retaliation against the film should be considered an infringement on an artiste's creative freedom, as the movie was released in theatres only after the Indian Censor Board gave it a clean chit,” he added.
Supporting his stand, senior actor Madhu opines, “Sreenivasan is a sensible scriptwriter who has always brought the realities of our society to light. What he has spoken about in the movie is true, to an extent.”
Renowned award- winning music director, Rahul Raj brings an interesting angle to the debate.
“Had the movie been written by a clean writer I would have accepted that it is an honest mockery of the industry. Since he is a film star who belongs to the same clan, and has indulged in the vile practices himself, you can't call his film a true satire,” he says.
“People in the industry know that Sreenivasan has indirectly tried to promote his son so that he gets the best songs!”
Sreenivasan adds, “When one listens to the songs Vineeth has crooned, they are inherently potential and anybody can get a hit, singing those songs. If Sreenivasan claims to be such a sensible writer, why didn’t he bring the concept of celebrity dads’ involvement in promoting their kids in the industry?”
If Sreenivasan has been isolated for the fierce criticisms he roused through his movie, few others like Thilakan faced the wrath of film organisations for turning against them.
“It was for no fault of mine that even after having years of experience in the industry I was overnight branded an outcast by film organisations,” recalled Thilakan.
“Today film organisations work to promote their selfish interests and ethics is hardly a concern. If they were originally conceived to protect the cineastes and their concerns why would they treat artistes like me this way? But the success of my second innings in cinema testifies that an artiste is like a blazing sun. Despite all attempts to hide its glory, the radiance will spread,” he stated.
