Adur Gopalakrishnan (File)
In the controversial statements of the veteran filmmaker Adour Gopalakrishnan at the Kerala Film Policy Conclave on the Kerala government’s project, to promote filmmakers of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) communities in the controversial statements and women filmmakers on Monday (August 4, 2025), a storm, which is a storm with ministers, stunted workers.
Dalit activist Dinu Veel filed a complaint against the filmmaker under the SC/ST (prevention of prevention) with the Museum Police in Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala State SC/ST Commission.
Shri Gopalakrishnan had said that the government project under which and 1.5 crore interested women are provided to filmmakers and people from SC/ST communities will pave the way for corruption. The intention behind the project is good, but he should be given at least three months of intensive training to make films, he said, called a reduction in the amount of ₹ 50 lakh.
Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian disagreed with him on the stage and said that “even IS 1.5 crore is insufficient to make quality films in these times”. He also emphasized the need to support the filmmakers of these communities as he has “no mainstream opportunities in the history of Malayalam cinema nearly 100 years old.”
Referring to the comments of Mr. Gopalakrishnan in a Facebook post on Sunday, Higher Education Minister R. Bindu wrote that “it does not matter that all the time spent in global film platforms does not widen the mind and convert you into a better human”.
Speaking to the media on Monday, he said that it was the responsibility of democratic institutions to ensure justice for communities “who had been denied for thousands of years”.
“It is the responsibility of the government to not only assist the creative expression of women and SC/ST communities, but to bring them into mainstream leadership roles in all areas of life. The project is one of the best interventions that the culture department has taken,” she said.
Filmmaker Bijukumar Damodaran, who said that he is a filmmaker of an SC community who made 15 prize -winning films without any training, accused Shri Gopalakrishnan of emphasizing intense training only in the case of SC/ST and women filmmakers, as he is using a separate lens to watch them. ,
The short doubles on their criticism
Meanwhile, in a conversation with the media, Mr. Gopalakrishnan doubled his criticism and said that he was “not against providing financial assistance to anyone, but the beneficiaries should be provided adequate training and orientation before the discalsal of funds.”
He also reiterated his demand that an amount of ₹ 1.5 crore should be reduced for each filmmaker, which should be divided between three filmmakers of these communities, thus giving more people opportunities.
‘Nobody insulted anyone’
“I have not insulted anyone. If anyone can prove from a recorded scene, I can apologize. I am not responsible for the interpretations of my speech.
Criticizes the singer
Shri Gopalakrishnan also criticized singer Pushpavati, who raised the voice of protest against him during his speech in the Conclave and questioned him, including ministers, “to stop them”.
Published – August 04, 2025 01:16 pm IST
