Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his disapproval after The Kerala Story won the National Awards. Now, director of the movie Sudipto Sen has addressed the criticism strongly. Read on to know what he said.
The Kerala Story stunned many by taking home two major awards at the 71st National Film Awards: Best Director and Best Cinematography. The movie, which was released in 2023 and generated a lot of discussion at the time, was about radicalism and religious conversion that were purportedly connected to terrorist organisations. Despite the film’s strong box office performance, the Kerala government strongly criticised it, and it was even challenged in court. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his disapproval once more after the movie’s victory.
What did the CM say?
In a post on X, he wrote, “By honouring a film that spreads blatant misinformation with the clear intent of tarnishing Kerala’s image and sowing seeds of communal hatred, the jury of the #NationalFilmAwards has lent legitimacy to a narrative rooted in the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar… This decision gravely insults Kerala, a land of harmony and resistance against communal forces… Everyone who believes in democracy must raise their voice in defence of truth and the constitutional values we hold dear.”
How did director Sudipto respond to the criticism?
Director Sudipto Sen addressed the CM’s remarks in an interview with Hindustan Times. He said, “I think Pinayari Vijayan, sir, who is a very senior and seasoned politician, hasn’t seen my film. Had he seen my film, he wouldn’t have made this comment.”
He went on to say that Vijayan had previously backed similar issues. “15 years ago, a prominent Kerala politician had a press conference in Delhi where he said that PFI and SGPI are so active in Kerala that they may turn it into an ISIS state soon… The first person to defend this statement was Pinayari Vijayan, who was then Secretary of the Communist Party of India. What he said then and what he is saying now are completely different.”
Director Sudipto denies political agenda claims
Sudipto stated unequivocally that he is committed to his project and has no political motive. “I am not a politician… I am a filmmaker. What I can tell you is that we have given 12 years of research to this film. I travelled across several blocks in Kerala and met 500 girls. When the Censor Board (CBFC) took two months to clear the film, I gave evidence for each line of dialogue… Nobody can discredit me by just putting a comment on Instagram or Twitter.”
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