THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam superstars keep off film festivals for want of time as well as interest. Although world classics are screened at the festivals, they don’t visit the venues due to previous commitments as well as to avoid crowding by the fans around them. Mammotty and Mohanlal were conspicuous by their absence at the 21st International Film Festival of Kerala, which will conclude on Friday. However, the new generation actors attend the festivals and relish the films. The IFFK is held in Thiruvananthapuram in December every year after the International Film Festival of India takes place in Goa in November.
Over 1,000 delegates from within the country and abroad attend both the festivals. The superstars can afford to watch world films in their homes. Currently, Mammootty is busy with Ranjit’s film, Puthan Panam being shot in Kozhikode.Mohanlal is touring the US with his family and is expected back only after Christmas. Mr M. B. Sanil Kumar, chartered accountant and close confidant of Mohanlal, told DC that he was uncomfortable watching films in theatres in the presence of his fans. Suresh Gopi recalled that he had attended the film festival a few years ago when two of his films, Jalamarmaram and Kaliyattom were screened.
“Film festivals are not my cup of tea which are meant for serious film students. Each era has its own structure of movie making. I am a misfit on such platforms,” he said. Mukesh told DC that at the IFFK he saw South African film Sink by Brett Michael Innes and Iranian film Daughter by Reza Mirkarimi which won the Golden Peacock at the IFFI in Goa. “I watched them along with director I. V. Sasi on Wednesday,” said Mukesh who also has several commitments as actor and MLA. A. Sahadevan, television anchor on world films and film critic, said that the superstars are not invited to IFFK most of the time. “I will watch all the films that were screened at IFFK in my home. Similarly the superstars can get such films with ease,” he said.
