Raghavan master's kin hurt over neglect

Even as thousands of people from various walks of life gathered at the BEMP Higher Secondary School ground and the Municipal Centenary Park here on Sunday to pay their last respects to music maestro Padma Sri K Raghavan, the conspicuous absence of prominent artists from the film fraternity has invited protests from Master’s relatives and others.
Raghavan master's kin hurt over neglect

Even as thousands of people from various walks of life gathered at the BEMP Higher Secondary School ground and the Municipal Centenary Park here on Sunday to pay their last respects to music maestro Padma Sri K Raghavan, the conspicuous absence of prominent artists from the film fraternity has invited protests from Master’s relatives and others.

President of the Kerala Film Producers Association, Liberty Basheer, was one of the first few who showered criticism against film artistes. “The film organisations including AMMA and Fefka ignored this great musical genius only because he is a Malabari,” Basheer said. Raghavan Master’s sons Muraleedharan and Kanakambaran said that many celebrities were so eager to share pleasantries with their father when he was alive but after his demise, none of them was ready to convey condolence at least over phone.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran said that the cinema industry had always considered this genius of music as a downtrodden.

“The absence of cinema celebrities at the cremation has exposed the fact the Malayalam film industry is still being dominated by a kind of elitist psyche,” the minister said. “The stars did not come as their busy schedules may be affected,” the minister further ridiculed.

Filmmaker Ranjith, who paid his last respects to Raghavan Master, said that the negligence meted out to this master composer of music at the hands of the film fraternity was indeed unpardonable and unjustifiable.

“Some of them said that Thalassery was a place too far for them. But a large number of artists who moved to Chennai to celebrate the 100 years of Indian cinema should have had a minimum prick of conscience while saying such lame excuses,” he said.

Ranjith was pointing to the remarks made by Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) president Innocent that the artists were not able to attend the the funeral because of the distance.

Meanwhile, AMMA joint secretary Idavela Babu said that they have not ignored a great musician like Raghavan Master. “Offering tributes, artist Anoop Chandran placed a wreath on behalf of AMMA,” said Babu.

Ranjith and actor Mamukoya were the only representatives of the film fraternity who attended the cremation. Artist K K Marar, who shared a long-time friendship with Raghavan Master, said that the absence of film artistes at the cremation reiterated the fact that talents of Malabar had often been ignored.

Such harsh realities would nurture musings of regionalism even among those who never had such thoughts, he said. “It is an unwelcome tendency to honour people only if they are in the limelight,” he added.

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