Low wage row: Finance minister T M Thomas Isaac, V T Balram support Sudu'
Thiruvananthapuram: Finance minister T. M. Thomas Isaac and Congress leader V. T. Balram have come out in support of Nigerian actor Samuel Abiola Robinson who was underpaid for his stellar role in Sudani from Nigeria. In a Facebook post, Balram said the production controller’s claim that the Nigerian actor could have raised objections at the contract stage was a mere technical argument. Isaac in his Facebook post recalled that it was due to urban affairs minister K. T. Jaleel that he saw Sudani from Nigeria. He noted that the film portrayed the simplicity of people in the villages in Malappuram where they had no inhibition in accepting him to their hearts without looking at Samuel’s colour or creed.
“In the film Samuel is given earrings and a watch at the end. Unfortunately this was seen only in the film and not outside as per the claim of Samuel. Since the film has been a roaring success, let us hope that Samuel’s grievances will be addressed”, said Thomas Isaac. Thrithala MLA Balram noted in his Facebook post that after watching ‘Sudani from Nigeria’, he felt ‘it was a film where faith is restored in humanity’. He added that the issue of Samuel being underpaid by the film makers was definitely a serious matter. “Samuel’s statement that he received only Rs 1.80 lakh cannot be sidelined. The film industry should provide decent remuneration to everyone. Since Samuel has already acted in several films, he has the right to compare his remuneration with his fellow actors. Samuel’s words of racial discrimination cannot be ignored as well”, said Balram.
He also pointed out that the warmth of the people in Malappuram could be seen in the words of the two mothers in the film where they gift Samuel with a watch and earrings for his sister, on his return to Nigeria. The story of Sudani from Nigeria follows a Nigerian football player who joins a club in Malappuram, Kerala for the sevens football match. After the release of the film, Samuel alleged that the producers underpaid him because of racism. Samuel also claimed that more money was promised if the movie became a success. But unfortunately the film makers did not keep their word after the film raked in moolah at the box office.
