THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Calling for films that promote humanity, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rued efforts by “certain forces at the national level” to spread disinformation and ill-will. He was speaking at the State Film Awards distribution ceremony at Nishagandhi Auditorium.
Recalling M T Vasudevan Nair’s Nirmalyam, the CM expressed dismay that films of that genre and class are not being made now. Pinarayi said that attempts are being made to revive social evils such as casteism and feudalism, which such films attempted to address.
“The strides made by women are being trampled upon with the focus these days being male-dominant themes. There are also efforts to suppress renaissance values, which united people,” said Pinarayi. In a veiled attack on Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story, he lamented that the film portrays the state, which is synonymous with secularism, as the land of ‘love jihad’. Condemning the controversial film, Pinarayi said it is an attempt to show the state in a bad light.
Alencier courts controversy
In an apparent dig at the statuette that is awarded to winners, actor Alencier Ley Lopez, in his acceptance speech, said that he will not be lured by a woman figurine. Alencier, who received the jury award for his acting in Appan, added the replica should from now on be in gold.
“A statuette awarded by our chief minister should reflect his masculinity. I will stop acting the day this happens,” said Alencier. CM Pinarayi Vijayan had left the venue by the time Alencier made his overtly callous, sexist remarks. Cultural Minister Saji Cherian, however, was present on stage.