THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pinarayi Vijayan introduced P Sreekumar as an actor with a clear and precise political stand, at the release of the latter’s autobiography ‘Chithariya Ormakal’. The situation in the country is such that artists, even those without a political leaning, are forced to react, said Pinarayi.
Commenting on the controversies surrounding FTII Pune and Censor Board reconstitution, Pinarayi said that there were attempts to implement certain pre-ordained agendas. He said that at FTII Pune, which once had accomplished people at its helm, talent is no longer valued. It’s not just students but film lovers across the country who were lining up against the choice of the chairman, he said.
He applauded Sreekumar, a former trade union leader, for continuing to express his political views openly. He said that Sreekumar, who held AKG in high esteem, was able to do justice to the role portraying the communist leader in Shaji N Karun’s docu-fiction ‘AKG’.
He said that Sreekumar’s autobiography had a moving narrative of his mother’s desperate attempts to find the actor’s brother Dileep, who went missing before the Emergency was declared. He was believed to have Naxalite connections. The book describes how his mother, after approaching leaders like then Home Minister K Karunakaran, comes home dejected and removes all idols from the prayer room. Pinarayi called it a stirring moment.
Chithariya Ormakal’ offers anecdotes of the who’s who of the Malayalam film industry. Actor Mammootty, in the foreword to the book, has attested to Sreekumar’s straightforward nature. A chapter in the book describes Sreekumar’s first meeting with Mammootty- a bitter fight which led to a long spell of cold war between the two. Later, the two forged a strong friendship.
Pinarayi Vijayan handed over the first copy of the book to actor Menaka Suresh. She said that the book about scattered memories had several scattered pearls strung together. Actor Indrans, who got the ‘Special Jury Award’ in the Kerala State Film Awards, was honoured at the function. The function was organised by Green Pepper Publica, at Bharath Bhavan, Thycaud.