Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan recently stirred up a conversation. He shared his thoughts at a film conference in Thiruvananthapuram. Gopalakrishnan pointed out issues with a government scheme meant to help filmmakers.
He believes the Kerala government’s current approach isn’t working well. This scheme gives 1.5 crore rupees to filmmakers from marginalized groups. Gopalakrishnan stated that the funds from the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) aren’t bringing much benefit.
He offered a different idea. Instead of one big grant, he suggested giving 50 lakh rupees each to three deserving individuals. This would still add up to 1.5 crore rupees in total. His comments even caused some stir among the audience members present. People on stage had to calm them down.
Gopalakrishnan emphasized that this money comes from the public. He said it’s not for commercial projects. He feels aspiring filmmakers should get proper training before receiving these funds. The main goal, he added, is to create quality cinema.
He didn’t stop there. Gopalakrishnan also touched on a student protest from 2022. This happened at the K. R. Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts in Kottayam. The strike involved accusations of caste discrimination against the then-director, Shankar Mohan. Gopalakrishnan called it a “nasty strike.” He believes it hurt the institute’s progress. He mentioned it happened when the institute was close to becoming one of the country’s best.
His criticism extended to Kerala’s television scene too. He claimed that every channel is trying to be worse than the others. He felt this meant viewers were constantly seeing “nightmares.”
However, not everyone agrees with Gopalakrishnan. Dalit writer and activist Sunny M Kapicad quickly responded to his comments. Kapicad stated that Gopalakrishnan’s views show a “privileged class consciousness.” He believes a sense of “caste hierarchy” is what leads him to make such remarks. This ongoing debate highlights the different perspectives within the film and arts community.