KOCHI: For a section of people who had been trapped in the cycle of ever-escalating political polarisation, the Apex Court order on Tuesday that playing the national anthem before screening of a movie in cinemas was not mandatory anymore, reversing an order issued more than a year ago, was a reason to cheer and a moment of pride in their resolve to challenge the propriety of impositions.
The Kodungallur Film Society (KFS), which challenged the November 2016 Supreme Court order, was in news ever since then as it led to widespread criticism and veiled threats from the right-wing forces in both cyber space and real life.But the society, which refused to be cowed down by the threats and trolls both in reel and real life, countered it by organising a meeting “Irul veezhum munpe” in the heart of Kodungallur, an ancient port town.Former KFS president and executive member Anoop Kumaran, who was one of the petitioners, said it was the political polarisation in Kodungallur which had brought together a vast section of people cutting cross party lines and ideological moorings under the liberal platform raised by the KFS.
“Whether the final decision on the case would be in favour of us or not is not a matter of a concern for us. We’ll continue our resistance and question the propriety of the impositions,” he said. This is not the first time the KFS has intervened in the issues pertaining to the public. It had challenged the Section 66A of the IT Act and Section 118D of the Kerala Police Act in the Supreme Court which were later quashed by it, according to Anoop.
Buoyed by people’s response to the KFS’ activities, the society has now decided to approach the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy seeking permission and support to screen a world classic movie every month at the big screen in Sree Kalisewari Theatre in Kodungallur.