Latest news with #Padmakumar
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Padmakumar E.S. is the new director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota
Padmakumar E.S. has taken charge as the director of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SDSC SHAR). Prior to this posting, he was director of the ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) at Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram. As the new director of SDSC SHAR, Mr. Padmakumar succeeds A. Rajarajan, who has moved to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, as its director. Mr. Padmakumar is joining the spaceport at a time when ISRO is gearing up for the missions as part of the Gaganyaan programme and launches from industries. At IISU, Mr. Padmakumar was leading the development of high-accuracy navigation sensors such as Hemispherical Resonant Gyro and other inertial systems. The navigation systems for Chandrayaan-3 were developed by his team. He also led the robotics activities including the India's first space robotics arm, RRMTD (Relocatable Robotic Manipulator Technology Development) which flew on the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM-4) mission. Mr. Padmakumar joined VSSC in 1986 and has held several important positions including Group Director, Deputy Director, and Associate Director. A native of Moorkanikara, Thrissur, Mr. Padmakumar is an alumnus of the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. His wife Radha R.K. is a senior scientist and division head at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, Palode. Their daughter, Medha Padmakumar, is an electronics engineer.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
M.B. Padmakumar's emotional outburst after Sibi Malayil's shocking remarks: "You threw sand in my rice bowl"
There has been a huge controversy in the Malayalam film industry involving two popular directors, Sibi Malayil and M. Padmakumar . It broke out after Sibi Malayil had said a few negative words regarding Padmakumar's new film Janaki vs State of Kerala, which greatly pained Padmakumar. He shared an emotional video response, come, let's see what he has to say about this. The controversy centers around two prominent figures in Malayalam cinema —veteran director Sibi Malayil and filmmaker M.B. Padmakumar. Sibi Malayil is widely regarded as one of the most acclaimed directors in the industry, known for his powerful, emotive storytelling that has shaped Malayalam cinema over the decades. On the other hand, M.B. Padmakumar is celebrated for his socially conscious and emotionally charged films, earning a reputation as a hardworking and sincere filmmaker deeply committed to meaningful cinema. The Controversy Between Them According to the reports of TheIndianExpress, the disagreement began during a discussion around the current censorship issues related to the film Janaki vs State of Kerala, where the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanded a change in the film's title. While commenting on this controversy, Sibi Malayil also brought up upcoming film Token Number directed by padmakumar referring to it as a 'small film' meant for festivals and 'award purposes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo ' Emotional Video Response Padmakumar was deeply hurt by these remarks. He shared an emotional video response via his official YouTube channel titled "Just kill me, Mr Sibi Malayil". In the video, Padmakumar strongly objected to his film being called a 'small' or 'award film.' He questioned whether Sibi Malayil had even watched his movie before passing such remarks. Padmakumar also expressed that how he had put in immense effort, seven months of hard work, sleepless nights, and financial investment into making 'Token Number'. He said the film was not made just for awards but for audiences and theatres and calling it 'small' was insulting and deeply discouraging. Padmakumar's Point of View What hurt Padmakumar even more was the real-life consequences he had to face because of Sibi Malayil's comment. A film distributor, who had initially agreed to release Token Number, withdrew after hearing that it was an 'award film', he shared how this remark cost him an opportunity to release his film and threatened his livelihood. He said, 'You threw sand in my rice bowl,' meaning that Sibi's words directly impacted his film career. Criticism of Large Production Houses Padmakumar also pointed out how difficult it is for independent filmmakers in the film industry. He criticized how people in power often ignore or look down on small budget films made without big stars or large production houses. He said it's easy for top directors to speak from comfortable positions, but creators like him have to struggle to make their voices heard. He called out this inequality and urged people not to judge a film without watching it. Even after all this, Padmakumar said he won't give up. He plans to release Token Number on his own, by renting screens and promoting it independently. He challenged Sibi Malayil to watch the film before making any judgments. He added that if people honestly feel the film is bad after watching it, he will stop making movies altogether. But until then, he just wants a fair chance for his work to be seen and appreciated.
News18
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Janaki VS State of Kerala: MB Padmakumar Slams Sibi Malayil Over ‘Small Film' Remark
According to the director, the matter was resolved quietly because the film was a 'small film" aimed at festivals. Padmakumar, deeply offended by the remarks, responded emotionally via a video titled 'Just kill me, Mr Sibi Malayil" posted on his YouTube channel. He accused the veteran director of belittling his work and negatively impacting his film's release. 'Who told Sibi Malayil sir that my film is a 'small film' or an 'award film'? If there are no superstars or if it's not a big-budget film, it automatically becomes a small film, is that it? And the audience shouldn't see it, sir?" Padmakumar said in the video. The filmmaker also criticised the CBFC for what he described as a prejudiced decision-making process. 'Isn't this exactly what the Censor Board also did? Didn't they approach it with prejudice without even watching the film? Do you know something, sir? This is a film I made by toiling for the last seven months, sacrificing my food and sleep," he said. He further alleged that Sibi's comments had caused a distributor, who had initially agreed to release the film, to withdraw support and snatch their chance at a theatrical release. He was heard saying, 'After all was done, I finally got the film censored. I got it done, feeling defeated and scared. After that, it had to reach theatres, but it had no superstars. Without superstars, it's incredibly difficult to get a theatre screen, no distributor comes forward." 'With great difficulty and by paying from my own pocket, I had arranged for a person to distribute it. But do you know what the distributor told me after hearing your comment? He called me and said, 'You told that this was a big film. But now Sibi Malayil himself has said it's a small film. I am not investing in an award film.' Sir, you have thrown sand in my rice bowl," Padmakumar added.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Kill me, Sibi Malayil': MB Padmakumar tears into legendary filmmaker over ‘unfair' comments on his movie amid Janaki vs State of Kerala controversy
While the controversy over the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) alleged demand to change the title of the upcoming Malayalam film Janaki vs State of Kerala continues to fume, with various film organisations launching public protests as well, another row has emerged alongside it, drawing legendary filmmaker Sibi Malayil into the spotlight. This 'sub-controversy' began after director MB Padmakumar took offence to certain remarks Sibi made about his upcoming film while speaking on the broader issue surrounding Janaki vs State of Kerala. Padmakumar also claimed that Sibi's comments have negatively impacted his film's release. Speaking to the media, Sibi recently recalled that Padmakumar's film Token Number had faced a similar situation with the CBFC, where certification was initially denied unless specific changes were made, particularly to the names of the lead characters. Since Padmakumar's was a 'small film', Sibi said, the director himself resolved the issue by changing the name. According to The Hindu, Padmakumar revealed that although there was no official communication from the CBFC regarding the alleged issues with Token Number, the board's Mumbai headquarters refused certification until he changed the name of one of the protagonists, Janaki or Abraham. This was despite the film receiving clearance from the CBFC's regional office. 'A film by a director named Padmakumar also had a similar issue concerning a name. That film also had Janaki in it. The Censor Board decided that it would not be approved or certified without changing the name 'Janaki'. It's a small film, one made to be sent to film festivals. The director handled it directly himself,' Sibi claimed. Taking offence to the veteran director's apparent dismissal of his movie as merely a 'small film' or 'award film', Padmakumar alleged that Sibi's remarks caused the distributor, who had agreed to release the film, to back out. Padmakumar added that when he initially faced difficulties with the CBFC, he had approached several members of film associations but received no help. 'Who told Sibi Malayil sir that my film is an 'award film' or a 'small film'? If there are no superstars or if it's not a big-budget film, it automatically becomes a small film or what, sir? And the audience shouldn't see it, is that it, sir? Did you even see the film, sir, or did you know anything about it? Isn't this exactly what the Censor Board also did? Didn't they approach it with prejudice without even watching the film? Do you know something, sir? This is a film I made by toiling for the last seven months, sacrificing my food and sleep.' 'After all was done, I finally got the film censored. I got it done feeling defeated and scared. After that, it had to reach theatres, but it had no superstars. Sir, this film's face is that of the many people who have dreamed of cinema for years; their livelihood is the very content of this film. Without superstars, it's incredibly difficult to get a theatre screen. No distributor will come forward. With great difficulty and by paying from my own pocket, I had arranged for a person to distribute it. Do you know what he told me after hearing your comment? He called me and said, 'You told me this was a big film that the audience would love. But now Sibi Malayil himself has said it's a small film. I am not investing money in an 'award film'.' Sir, you have thrown sand in my rice bowl,' Padmakumar said in a video, titled 'Just kill me, Mr Sibi Malayil', shared via his official YouTube channel.
The Print
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Print
BJP minister Suresh Gopi's Malayalam film faces censor board objection over use of name ‘Janaki'
The movie is set to be released 27 June. However, it landed in trouble when sent for the CBFC clearance. Directed by Pravin Narayanan, 'Janaki Versus State of Kerala' revolves around the titular character, Janaki, essayed by actor Anupama Parameswaran, fighting for justice after a traumatic event. She is represented by another lead character played by actor-politician Suresh Gopi. Thiruvananthapuram: A Suresh Gopi-starrer Malayalam movie showcasing a woman's legal battle against the Kerala government has landed in controversy after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) objected to the use of the name of Goddess Sita. Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) general secretary B. Unnikrishnan said the Board asked the crew to change the name 'Janaki' as the character is undergoing a traumatic event in the movie. 'The story is about a woman battling against the State after she faced an atrocity. They say that a woman like that should not be named after the goddess Sita. We all know that it's strange. The CBFC has guidelines, and we all make movie content based on that. That guideline doesn't have any rules like this,' Unnikrishnan told the media on Sunday. The film crew, he said, hasn't received an official show cause notice yet but was told clearly by the CBFC that 'Janaki' should be removed from the title as well as the character name. 'If they give us the names that we can use in guidelines, we will make movies like that. Where are we headed? If the characters are Hindus, then the chances are that it could be of a god/goddess. I am genuinely scared that my name would be banned tomorrow,' Unnikrishnan said, adding that the Malayalam film industry will strongly protest this. ThePrint reached out to Union Minister and BJP MP Suresh Gopi, but he was unavailable for comment. However, soon after the issue came to light, another Malayalam director M.B. Padmakumar said that he had faced the same issue last month. Padmakumar said he was forced to change the character of the female lead's name from Janaki to Jayanthi, as the CBFC raised objections because the character was in a relationship with a Christian character named Abraham. 'I gave my movie titled 'Token Number' to the censor board on 22 May. The censor board asked me to change the name of Abraham to a Hindu name, but it was difficult to change the name because of his background. So, I decided to change the name Janaki,' Padmakumar said. The actor-director also alleged that he got threatening calls from many non-cinema organisations when he approached them for help. Padmakumar said the film finally got the CBFC nod later on 7 June after he changed the name to Jayanthi. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 'Bharat Mata' portrait pits LDF against Kerala Governor, again. 'Turning Raj Bhavan into party office'
