Film producer advised the government to give incentive amount of Rs 50 lakh instead of Rs 1.5 crore

The Kerala government provides Rs 1.5 crore to the marginalized section filmmakers as an incentive to produce films. In this context, filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan spoke on Sunday that the amount provided by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) is not bringing much fruit.

While speaking at a film conference in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, he mentioned that budding filmmakers should learn from professionals before disbursing such funds.

He said, 'They should be told that this is public money and not for commercial ventures. Its purpose is to make good cinema.'

Gopalakrishnan suggested that instead of a large grant, Rs 50 lakh each could be given to three individuals to encourage the production of meaningful films. His remarks were met with protest from some representatives in the audience, who were later pacified by those on the stage.

Referring to the student protest at the K R Narayanan National Institute of Visual Sciences and Arts in Kottayam in 2022, Gopalakrishnan said the strike, triggered by allegations of caste discrimination against the then director Shankar Mohan, had hampered the development of the institute.

He described it as an 'ugly strike' which took place at a time when the institute was on the verge of becoming one of the best in the country.

Gopalakrishnan also criticised the current state of television in Kerala. He claimed, 'Every channel is competing to be worse than others, and the viewers are having nightmares.'

Reacting to his comments on filmmakers from marginalised communities, Dalit writer and activist Sunny M Kapikad said Gopalakrishnan's views reflected the 'consciousness of the privileged class'.

"It is the feeling of caste hierarchy that forces him to say such things," Kapikad said.