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Politicians from the Left and the Congress party in Kerala have rallied behind Malayalam superstar Mammootty, who is facing online harassment from certain right wing sympathisers in connection with his 2022 film, Puzhu.
Certain posts on social media platforms claimed that the movie was anti-Brahmanical.
Some of them even used Mammootty's birth name, Muhammed Kutty, to criticise the National Award-winning actor.
The row erupted following a recent interview given by the debutante director Ratheena P T's husband to an online channel, where he claimed that the movie was against a particular community and criticised Mammootty for doing the film.
Rubbishing the social media campaign against the actor, several persons, including state Ministers V Sivankutty and K Rajan and Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal came out in support of Mammootty.
'Mammootty,' General Education Minister V Sivankutty said, 'is Malayalees' pride' in a Facebook post.
CPI leader and Revenue Minister K Rajan described Mammootty as the 'Pride of Kerala and Malayalees'.
The minister alleged that 'Sangh Parivar politics' was behind the campaigns and said that such propaganda would not reap its desired results in the state.
'This is Kerala,' he pointed out to those behind the campaign.
Recalling a similar campaign unleashed against director Kamal some time ago, the minister said, 'The Sanghi politics of calling Mammootty as Mohammed Kutty, Kamal as Kamaluddin and Vijay as Joseph Vijay will not reap any result here.'
Sharing similar views, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal also strongly supported Mammootty and said the secular society of the state would not support such propaganda.
No matter how hard they try to brand a person who has clear political views and acting skills, Venugopal said the people of the state won't support them.
In an FB post, the Congress leader added that it is the duty of Kerala society to take care of the actor without being affected by the 'poison of hate campaigns'.
A person like Mammootty cannot be confined to the compartments of religion and caste, he said, adding that vested interests are doing so with a clear political agenda.
'Mammootty is Mohammed Kutty only in the contemptuous minds of those hate campaigners,' Venugopal added.
The actor is yet to react to the controversy.
