‘Making political films no longer possible’

Venu Nagavally, director of films like ‘Lal Salaam’ and ‘Rakthasakshikal Zindabad’, said Malayalam cinema had lost its t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Film director and actor Venu Nagavally has said that it was no longer   possible to make political cinema in Malayalam.

 Addressing a ‘meet-the-press’ programme along with actor Thilakan and the producers and distributors of his latest film ‘Bharya, Swantham Suhruth’ at Thiruvananthapuram Press Club on Monday, he said Communism, Congress and all political ideologies had been affected by cancer and it was almost impossible to make a political film now. ‘’The leaders of these parties are not consistent in their views and they very often dispute themselves,’’ he said.

 He said despite the big claims of the leaders, what the common man thinks of the Lavalin issue is that Kerala had lost its money and no benefit was made available to the public from the project.

 Though three years have passed since this Government came to power in the State, we don’t have a good road to travel. Many a precious lives are being lost in road accidents. Now, we do not have even the choice of a decent death. He said no one would like to remember that his or her grandfather had lost his life after falling into drainage.

 Nagavally, director of films like ‘Lal Salaam’ and ‘Rakthasakshikal Zindabad’ said Malayalam cinema had lost its traditional character.

 ‘’When the cinema lost its Malayalam flavour, directors like me lost relevance,’’  he said, explaining the reason for the long gap between  ‘Rakthasakshikal Zindabad’ and his latest film ‘Bharya, Swantham Suhruth’.

 He said people, politics and the very ideologies had lost the Malayalam touch. Nagavally said since his ‘Rakthasakshikal Zindabad’,   Malayalam cinema had grown too big for him.

 He said that when he entered the cinema field, directors had been stronger. It was because of this that an actor like him, who didn’t have the glamour of a cine actor, had been selected for playing the lead role in many films. He said that when the Malayalam film industry  became too big, ‘story tellers’ like him had very little opportunities.

 Nagavally said that his new film stressed on the importance of acknowledging the services of wives. Man’s best friend is his wife, according to him.

 Asked whether superstars’ hefty remuneration was a problem to film industry, he said that they had no right to ask the superstars to reduce their remuneration. But they can consider this for the benefit of good films.

 He also said that film organisations were engaged in conflicts for temporary gains.

 Thilakan said superstars like Mammootty and Mohanal had not been  imitating anyone and were committed to the art. He said fans’  associations were causing problems to the film industry as well as to the stars.

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