Thiruvananthapuram: The humiliation of film actor Bineesh Bastin at the hands of director Anil Radhakrishnan Menon at a function organised by the students union of Government Medical College, Palakkad, on Thursday took a curious turn on Friday with the college principal offering to resign over the episode. While Mr Menon denied allegations of exhibiting caste discrimination, the actor stuck to his stand that the director ill-treated him by insisting that he would not share stage with him. The college union chairman, on his part, said Mr Bastin had agreed not to come to the dais when Mr Menon would be attending the function but did not honour his word.
Principal T.B. Kulas on Friday made the offer to quit when he met Scheduled Caste Welfare Minister A.K. Balan who summoned him to seek an explanation after the issue went viral on social media. The college is under the administrative control of the schedule caste welfare department which also funded the college.
Mr Menon, who later apologised to Mr Bastin, denied having described Mr. Bastin as a third-rate actor. “I am sorry, Bineesh. I’m really sorry,” he said on a television channel and denied caste discrimination.
“Portraying me as a person with upper caste mentality merely because my name had a surname is unfair,’ he said. College Union office-bearers also expressed regret to Mr Bastin on the events that led to his humiliation.
Dr Kulas who denied stopping Mr Bastin from entering the stage said Mr Menon was the official invitee for the event.
The incident occurred on October 31, when both Mr Menon and Mr Bastin, who shared screen space with Vijay in Theri, were invited to the college for the annual college day function. The actor was invited as the chief guest and Mr Menon for the release of the college magazine. Mr Menon allegedly asked the college authorities to ask Mr Bastin to reach the venue an hour late so that he can finish his assignment and leave before the actor arrived.
A friend of the actor later posted a video footage on Facebook, showing him walking straight to the venue and sitting on the dais. It also showed the principal trying to stop him. When Mr Bastin refused the principal threatened to call the police. Mr Menon is seen walking out of the venue while the action was going on.
According to the post, the filmmaker told the college authorities that he did not wish to share the dais with a “third-rate actor” who had approached him for chances in his films.
Mr Bastin then delivered a speech in which he said that he was insulted at the function. “I have never felt so insulted before. I am not a Menon. I have not won a national award. I am a tile worker who struggled for 12 years in the industry. You cannot humiliate any individual like this," he said in his speech, even as Mr Menon walked out.
FEFKA general secretary B. Unnikrishnan who described the incident as disgraceful said that they have sought an explanation from Mr Menon.
