Latest news with #Gopalakrishnan
India Today
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
How should Kerala fund films? Decoding the Adoor Gopalakrishnan row
Celebrated director Adoor Gopalakrishnan's remark that the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) review norms of the Rs 1.5 crore funding for filmmakers from marginalised communities and base it on their merit as well as a three-month-long training in film production has left the cinema fraternity at the concluding ceremony of the Kerala Film Policy conclave in Thiruvananthapuram on August 4, Gopalakrishnan, 84, had suggested that the Kerala government pare down the KSFDC funding for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/women debut filmmakers to Rs 50 lakh and insisted on mandatory training for them before extending the financial has invited strong protests from Dalit organisations, artistes as well as leaders from across political parties for what was construed as casteist remarks. At the conclave itself, the veteran director was challenged by Carnatic vocalist and playback singer Pushpavathy Poypadathu, who was in the audience. Later, Gopalakrishnan apparently even questioned Poypadathu's qualifications for attending the film is vice-chairperson of the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi based in Thrissur. 'I respect Adoor Gopalakrishnan as a filmmaker. But his remarks, suggesting that women and the marginalised were receiving undue favours from the government, are deeply rooted in the patriarchal and feudal mindset. So I expressed my objections at the venue itself,' she told INDIA TODAY. While Gopalakrishnan has not taken back his comments, Kerala minister for co-operation, ports and devaswoms V.N. Vasavan sought to cool down matters, saying the director's intent was probably to improve the quality of films made by debut Rs 1.5 crore funding initiative was started by the Pinarayi Vijayan government in 2019 to encourage women filmmakers. It was later extended to filmmakers from marginalised communities. Over the past six years, 10 filmmakers have received support from the government to produce films under the scheme. Among them, six are women. Some of the films have featured in international film festivals and won awards.'Adoor Gopalakrishnan remarked without ascertaining the facts about the funding scheme. The funds are distributed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation after inviting applications and undertaking a four-level screening process,' explained a KSFDC official, who did not wish to be named.'The filmmakers are selected on the basis of script-reading and interview by an eminent jury. The funds are not released to the filmmakers but kept in the KSFDC account, which produces the films,' the official CPI(M) MP K. Radhakrishnan said Gopalakrishnan's views did not go with his stature, condemnation also came from CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan Master, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal, leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and state social justice minister R. the same time, veteran filmmaker Sreekumaran Thampi defended Gopalakrishnan, saying he was justified in suggesting that eligibility be assessed before granting funds. 'We cannot just give away public money. What is wrong in asking that funds be provided after giving them (filmmakers) necessary training?' said the police have provided security to Gopalakrishnan after Dalit organisations organised a protest parade outside his home in Thiruvananthapuram. Dalit activist Dinu Veyil filed a police complaint against the director, alleging he had insulted the Dalit community and women with his public statements, but the police decided not to register a case after seeking legal to India Today Magazine- Ends
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Call for action against Adoor
T'puram: Women's organizations, including Women's Collective in Cinema, Disha and Anweshi have filed a complaint with state women's commission against filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan for his controversial remarks at the film conclave. In the complaint, the organizations have demanded that Gopalakrishnan be summoned for an explanation. They also requested that Gopalakrishnan be excluded from govt events, stating that his remarks were anti-women and insulting especially to singer Pushpavathi. Gopalakrishnan made the controversial remark during the closing session of the film conclave. As the comment became controversial, minister V N Vasavan and musician Sreekumaran Thampy came to Gopalakrishnan's defence. The minister said that he did not believe Gopalakrishnan's comment was made with ill intent and that it was twisted into a controversy. Vasavan also mentioned that the govt stands with women and SC-ST communities. However, minister R Bindu responded by rejecting Gopalakrishnan's remark. She said that govt has a responsibility to ensure justice for those who are denied it. "There is nothing wrong with govt providing necessary funds for women and marginalized communities to express their creative talents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Susan Boyle Is Now so Thin and Looks Beautiful! Undo Making films is an expensive process and there is no issue in providing funds for first-time filmmakers. This is one of the best projects of the cultural department. The gaze of the camera is always a male one and there needs to be an alternative perspective. We need to create space for that," Bindu said. CPM state secretary M V Govindan also came down heavily against Gopalakrishnan stating that the filmmaker still had a feudal mindset.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Sexual abuse plaint: IT firm owner seeks pre-arrest bail
Kochi: Venu Gopalakrishnan of Kakkanad, the owner of an IT company, and his employees, Jacob P Thampy, Eby Paul and Bimalraj Haridas, have approached high court seeking anticipatory bail in a sexual abuse case filed by a former woman employee of the company, who was earlier arrested in connection with a honey trap case based on a complaint lodged by Gopalakrishnan. Considering the petition, the bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas sought instructions from the state and adjourned the matter to Aug 13. The court also directed that Thampy, Paul and Haridas shall not be arrested until then. According to the prosecution, Gopalakrishnan had allegedly subjected the woman to sexual exploitation, and the other accused had threatened her over the phone, stating that she would be implicated in a honey trap case and, if she lodged a complaint against him, they would kill her, thereby committing the offences alleged. Meanwhile, the petitioners contended that the woman and her husband were previously arrested on July 29 in connection with an alleged attempt by the husband to extort Rs 30 crore from Gopalakrishnan, accusing him of having an illicit relationship with his wife. Both were released on bail the following day. The petition further alleged that, in an apparent attempt to settle scores, the woman subsequently lodged a complaint with police, accusing Gopalakrishnan and his employees of sexual harassment and intimidation.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘No ground' for case against Adoor, Kerala Police get legal opinion
The Kerala Police have received a legal opinion that film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan's assertion that aspiring filmmakers hailing from marginalised sections of society and women should undergo intensive training as a prerequisite for availing themselves of State funds earmarked for creating movies and documentaries with artistic and social value. The police had sought the district public prosecutor's opinion after social activist Dinu Veyil registered a complaint at the Musuem police station accusing Mr. Gopalakrishnan of articulating a deeply discriminatory caste prejudice against aspiring filmmakers from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) at a cinema conclave organised by the State government here recently. Mr. Veyil demanded that the police book Mr. Gopalakrishnan on the charge of violating the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Thiruvananthapuram City, Nakul Rajendra Deshmukh confirmed to The Hindu that the government lawyer had opined that there was no 'legal ground [for the registration of] a case' against Mr. Gopalakrishnan. Another officer privy to the process said the prosecutor said Mr. Gopalakrishnan's remarks did not target any specific individual or a community. The prosecutor opined that Mr. Gopalakrishnan's viewpoint on training novices in filmmaking before providing them with public funding did not meet the legal criterion of a casteist slur. The prosecutor said a close examination of Mr. Veyil's complaint did not prima facie reveal any evidence that warranted a registration of a case against Mr. Gopalakrishnan. However, Mr. Gopalakrishnan's legal jeopardy seemed far from over. Several activists have signalled that they would file criminal miscellaneous petitions in magistrate's court demanding the filmmakers' prosecution. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Minister O.R. Kelu said the department has received several complaints and is examining the matter with the necessary seriousness. The Kerala State Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Commission has requested a report from the Museum police. Furthermore, several women activists have petitioned the Kerala Women's Commission accusing Mr. Gopalakrishnan of misogyny. The controversy showed scarce signs of abating on Wednesday with more opinion leaders and politicians, including CPI State secretary Binoy Viswam, CPI leader Annie Raja, and CPI(M) leaders K Radhakrishnan, MP, and former Culture Minister A K Balan chiming in.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Adoor's words testimony to prevailing feudal mindset: Govindan
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan criticised filmmaker for his controversial statements made at Kerala Film Policy Conclave against first-time filmmakers from the scheduled castes and the women community. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Gopalakrishnan's statement indicates that there are people who still live with a feudal mindset. Now, if he says that he did not say that, the people will not believe it," said Govindan. The CPM state secretary also criticised the way people are viewed in the name of castes. "Like Gopalakrishnan, many people continue to speak with the linguistic content of feudal decay, and this can be stated with certainty. This is the greatest injustice done to a democratic society. The Kerala society has progressed well beyond the ideological level of feudal culture. The decay of the caste system has significantly decreased. The govt's stance was made clear by the minister on that same platform in response to Gopalakrishnan's statement," he added. Meanwhile, filmmaker Sreekumaran Thampi came out in support of Gopalakrishnan saying that the main intention of what he said was that only the deserving should get the govt funds for making films. "Even if it is dalits, scheduled castes or women, the intention was true. His words have been unnecessarily dragged into a controversy," he said. Gopalakrishnan did not insult women or the scheduled castes in his speech, said Thampi, who shared the stage with Gopalakrishnan at the film conclave. He also claimed that he saw the four films which were shot using the govt funds. These films lacked quality matching the investment costs, he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Thampi also questioned how Pushpavathi could interrupt the speech of Gopalakrishnan. The organizers of the event should not have allowed that, he said. Thampi said that he was not aware of who singer Pushpavathi was and had not heard her songs. When pointed out that she is the vice-chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Thampi said the heads of the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and Sahitya Akademi are members of the ruling party.
