Three independent filmmakers and technicians of Malayalam cinema have filed a writ petition with the High Court against the submission of the film Nine for competing in the Kerala State Awards. The film is produced by actor Prithviraj and directed by Jenuse Mohammed, son of director and Kerala Chalachitra Academy chairman Kamal. The petition alleges nepotism in the conduct of the awards.
The petition, filed by Satish Babusenan, Shinos Rahman and Santhosh Thampi, alleged that nepotism by Kamal and academy vice-chairperson Bina Paul had vitiated the 2018 State Film Awards. In a press note, Babusenan stated, “In the 2018 awards, Carbon, directed by Bina Paul’s husband Venugopal had won six awards and Aami, directed by Kamal, had won two awards.”
But director Kamal tells TNM that rules and regulations do not stop anyone from submitting a film for the awards. Only, one cannot receive individual awards while serving at the academy.
"The producer of the film, Prithviraj, has submitted Nine for the awards. The Chalachitra Academy has no right to tell anyone not to submit the film or tell the Ministry (of Culture) not to accept it. It is the producer's prerogative. The academy doesn't select the movies running for the awards, it is by submission that it reaches the Ministry. Further decisions are taken by the jury. Even the films that the office bearers of the academy worked in - such as Aami which I directed or Carbon which Bina Paul edited – can participate,” Kamal explains.
But they cannot receive individual awards. So Kamal cannot accept Best Director award or Bina Paul get the Best Editor award while they work at the academy. “We will have to resign if we are contending for individual awards. But others who worked in these films can accept awards. Manju Warrier for instance can receive an award for Aami which I directed. It is their right,” Kamal says.
The petition also said that Kamal and Bina Paul are members of the Executive Board of the Academy that 'recommends the jury members to the Department of Cultural Affairs'.
Kamal explains that the selection of jury is a process that has to be done meticulously since no member should in any way be associated with any of the films submitted for the awards. “The Ministry cannot ascertain this on its own. So when the minister’s office asks for recommendation from the academy, we provide names of those who are not associated with any of the films. It is usually the secretary that gives it. Last time Mahesh Panju, the secretary, had given it. I was away in Lakshadweep for a film’s shooting and Bina Paul was also out of station.
The petition further demands that Kamal should resign from the post of chairman of the academy while his son’s film is contending for an award. It claims that filmmakers like Adoor Gopalakrishnan and TK Rajiv Kumar had already resigned from their posts in the academy when their films were running for awards. “Alternatively, the academy may be asked to exclude Jenuse Mohammed’s film from taking part in the awards competition,” said the petitioners.
Adoor had not resigned because his film was competing for the awards but for other reasons, Kamal points out. In 2003, there was a difference of opinion between the then Minister of Culture Karthikeyan and Adoor and this had led the renowned filmmaker to put in his papers, says an old report in The Hindu. “It is however true that TK Rajiv Kumar had quit his post in the academy when he wanted to compete for an individual award. I didn’t resign since I was not competing for Best Director award,” Kamal says.
These rules and regulations can be dug out anyone who has an interest in it, Kamal says, and therefore he reckons it is nothing but an attempt tarnish his image.