'They just showed riots created by some political party. They never mentioned the name of the place or the political party.'
'I don't know why these people are agitated.'
L2: Empuraan was supposed to be just another high budget commercial film but it became one of Mohanlal's most controversial films, even though he tries to stay away from controversies and politics.
The political leanings of the film's writer, Murali Gopy, son of the late award-winning actor Bharat Gopy is well known.
So also that of Prithviraj Sukumaran.
And they expressed their opinion fearlessly.
In fact, not just ordinary Malayalis, even celebrities in Kerala express their political ideology without fear or concern.
But Kerala is changing.
The political stance taken by Empuraan and the filmmakers irked right-wing supporters so much that there was an unprecedented attack against the film and those behind the film.
Still, no one from the film industry came out in support of the Empuraan team.
"A fear factor has gripped filmmakers. They are not sure what kind of films they should make hereafter. Their fear is, will their films also meet the fate of Empuraan?," M A Nishad, an award winning director, screenwriter and producer, tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier.
Why is the Malayalam film industry relatively silent about the bullying Murali Gopy and Prithviraj have been subjected to? Are people scared?
Of course, people are scared.
They may be thinking why invite trouble unnecessarily.
A fear factor has gripped filmmakers.
They are not sure what kind of films they should make hereafter. Their fear is, will their films also meet the fate of Empuraan?
I don't know what is happening to not just the Malayalam film industry but the Indian film industry as a whole.
All of us are artists.
We have a commitment to society, to speak about what is happening in society. Unfortunately, there is no freedom of speech these days.
I am not commenting on the content of Empuraan. I am talking in general.
Empuraan is just a film, art form. A film reflects society.
Why are you scared about what the film talks about?
If you remember, the first two days of its release was just like any other film release. There was no uproar.
The problems started two days later.
Some criticise it as a marketing strategy.
It is definitely not a marketing strategy.
It was after two days that right-wing activists and their leaders came to know about the film.
(Union Minister of State and actor) Suresh Gopi said it was a marketing strategy of the filmmakers.
If that is so, why did the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, write editorials on the film? Not just one or two but five articles!
Why?
Were they helping in the marketing of the film?
While the BJP was calling for a boycott of the film, Kerala BJP leaders like M T Ramesh asked the people of Kerala to appreciate the film for its cinematic content and political views.
These were the earlier statements of some BJP leaders. Even (the BJP's newly appointed Kerala president) Rajeev Chandrasekhar initially responded that way.
But after that, the entire narrative changed.
What changed after two days? And what could be the reason for this change?
Interestingly, nowhere in the film have the filmmakers stated that they were referring to the Godhra incident.
They just showed riots created by some political party, that's all. They never mentioned the name of the place or the political party.
I don't know why these people are agitated.
Anyway, they are the people who have given lots of publicity to the film, and it is going to a level never before seen for a Malayalam film.
The 2K kids do not know what happened in 2002.
It is only after the controversy created by those people that these kids started talking about the incident and reading more about it.
I am a film director and producer. I started my career as a child artist acting along with Kamal Haasan and Sukumaran, who was Prithviraj's father.
I learnt to direct by producing films.
My first directorial venture was on farmers' suicide. My third film was about the atrocities committed against girl children.
My next film is going to be about the man-animal conflict.
As a filmmaker, I react to what happens in society. For us to respond sensitively and conscientiously, we need creative freedom.
We need to express our views without fear.
It is our duty as filmmakers to take such incidents to the public.
As a filmmaker, if you have to take a political stand, will you think twice now? For example, Prithviraj is labelled anti-Hindu, anti-national, urban Naxal, etc.
Why should I think twice? We have only one life.
If we can't do or say what we want in this life, what is the use of living?
I don't want to malign any political party.
I don't want to hurt anyone's sentiments.
I don't make films for that purpose.
I only make films. Yes, I will be careful.
Every person has a political stand. If I were to express my political view or stand, sometimes my 'right' will be somebody else's 'wrong' and vice versa.
The rights and wrongs are subjective.
That's how it is in a pluralistic society.
There will be difference of opinion.
Everybody has a right to have his or her point of view. After all, it is a democratic country.
Another thing is, there is a Censor Board, and we cannot say whatever we want. If the Board feels what we say is not right, they cut it. That's why we have a Censor Board.
Empuraan was certified by the Censor Board.
There are certain norms and regulations in front of the Board, which Empuraan must have satisfied. You cannot blame the Censor Board either as they follow a set of norms and regulations.
Even after that, if something like this is happening, it is not good news for filmmakers like me.
It is said that the cuts made after the controversy were voluntary. Should filmmakers be making such voluntary cuts to satisfy whoever makes noise?
That depends upon the guts of the filmmaker.
If they have the guts to stand by what they have done, they will not.
I don't know whether the cuts were made voluntarily or under pressure.
Some people feel that Mohanlal should not have apologised immediately.
I do not want to comment on what he did.
I know Mohanlal and am a huge fan of him as an actor.
He is not a political person at all.
He is a 100 percent actor, a sincere artist.
He is a very good human being also. His dharma is to only act in films.
There was a time in the Malayalam film industry when filmmakers like I V Sasi used to make political films, often criticising the ruling establishment harshly. He could do that without fear.
Do you feel times have changed and it is no longer possible to make such political films?
That era has gone.
We are in different times.
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