Anil Radhakrishnan Menon and Bineesh Bastin are friends again, full of mutual respect for each other, declared B Unnikrishnan, director, producer and general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA). He was addressing the press in the presence of Anil and Bineesh, the director and the actor who were in the news last week for an unpleasant experience at a college function in Palakkad. Though FEFKA said the issue has been ironed out, Bineesh however reiterated his stand that he would not act in Anil’s film.
The controversy started when Anil had apparently told the college authorities and student union that he didn’t want to share the stage with a man who had asked him chances to act. Bineesh, who was asked to come to the college after Anil left, refused to do so and reached early. He sat on the stage in protest and told the students how this has been the biggest insult of his life.
When the issue got heated up and Anil was much criticised, he expressed his regrets, through the media. Unnikrishnan said that the press conference called by the FEFKA was not going to make Anil apologise again, and Bineesh too didn’t want that. “What has been a major concern for us was the over reading of this issue and the politics of caste that came into the picture. That’s pained us. Cinema should exist without religious or caste differences. This issue, we believe is one of class, and it’s been converted to one of caste.”
Unnikrishnan said that the association felt it was lack of caution on the part of their member (Anil) but the director has already expressed his regrets. “It’s ended on friendly notes between the two of them when we had a discussion earlier. No action shall be taken against the director.”
Bineesh, who had to leave early for a visa appointment, shook hands with Anil and hugged him. Both of them mostly remained silent as Unnikrishnan spoke. Only once when he was asked about acting in Anil’s film, Bineesh said he wouldn’t do that. Unnkrishnan said that friendship was different from work.
He added that FEFKA considers the problem between the two individuals as over, but is more concerned about the future. “The work space is changing. Employer-employee relations are changing. Caste equations and gender equations are changing. There is a new politics, a new work culture that cinema can’t stay away from. FEFKA should make its members aware of these changes of caste and class and gender relations. Everyone who works here is equal in every way -- that is the ideal we should follow. Trainings, workshops and interactive sessions would be planned for such awareness.”