Thiruvananthapuram | Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan on Sunday said the current practice of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) providing Rs 1.5 crore to prospective filmmakers from marginalised sections has not been producing the desired results.
Speaking at a session during a film conclave here, he said aspiring filmmakers should first undergo proper training by experts before such funds are disbursed.
"They should be made aware that it is public money, not meant for commercial ventures. The intention is to create quality cinema," he said.
Gopalakrishnan suggested that instead of one large grant, three individuals could be given Rs 50 lakh each to encourage the creation of meaningful films. His remarks triggered protests from some delegates in the audience, who were later pacified by those on the dais.
Referring to the 2022 students’ protest at the K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts in Kottayam, Gopalakrishnan said the strike—triggered by allegations of caste discrimination against then director Shankar Mohan—had stifled the institution’s growth.
He called it an "ugly strike" that came at a time when the institute was on the verge of becoming one of the best in the country.
"Almost all heads of departments resigned and left. No one knows how it is functioning today," he said.
Shankar Mohan’s only fault, he claimed, "was trying to instil discipline".
Gopalakrishnan also criticised the current state of television in Kerala. "Each channel is competing with others to be worse, and viewers are left with nightmares," he claimed.
Responding to his comments on filmmakers from marginalised communities, Dalit writer and activist Sunny M Kapikad said Gopalakrishnan’s views reflected the "consciousness of the privileged class".
"It’s a sense of caste hierarchy that makes him say these things," Kapikad alleged.
