The controversy over ‘Celluloid,’ the movie depicting the momentous and tragic life of J C Daniel, the first Malayalam movie maker, took a further turn on Monday with Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph and Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan locking horns over the stand of the former. However, Joseph made it clear that creative freedom does not mean the freedom to say anything.
Joseph stated earlier in the day that it was unfortunate that “history was distorted’’ and former Chief Minister K Karunakaran’s name was unnecessarily dragged into the movie. “None will cast aspersions against the late Karunakaran as a person thinking on caste lines,’’ he added, when approached by mediapersons for his comments.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan joined issue with the Minister and deplored his statement as supportive to a handful of Congressmen who are staging protests against the movie alleging that Karunakaran was insulted through some remarks in it.
“It is unfortunate that the Minister has also come down to the level of those protesting Congressmen in the streets, against a movie which has been officially approved as the best film,’’ the Opposition Leader remarked and asserted that an artist had every right to express views which he felt right. ‘’If open censoring is insisted, cinema and literature will not move forward,’’ he said.
On the fact that Karunakaran’s name has never been mentioned anywhere in the movie but only hints are there, K Muraleedharan MLA, the late Chief Minister’s son reacted strongly. ‘’It is like after presenting features such as a trunk and other things, nothing has been mentioned about the elephant,’’ he said.
Joseph said if it is indeed true that the movie has picturised Karunakaran in bad light, it cannot be approved. However, he admitted that he had not seen the movie so far.
Panchayat Minister M K Muneer said that just like an artist has a right to present his theme and perspective, a critic can air his views also. ‘’Protests should not reach the levels of intolerance,’’ he felt.
A Neelalohitadasan Nadar, former minister and ex-MP, said it is wrong on the part of anyone to attack those who had brought historical facts entwined with the life and works of J C Daniel, by weaving out from his biography, to the midst of the masses.
The claim of a few that they had done many things for the Nadar community, of which Daniel was a member, was a different matter and it could be analysed at a different realm, including the real reasons for it, Neelalohitadasan Nadar said, in an apparent dig to Muraleedharan, who had highlighted his late father’s service to the community.
Meanwhile, activists of the Karunakaran Cultural Vedi burnt ‘Celluloid’ director Kamal in effigy on Monday in front of the theatre complex in Thampanoor here, where the movie is running to packed houses.