Thiruvananthapuram, 5 August

Veteran Malayalam poet, lyricist and filmmaker Sreekumaran Thampi on Tuesday came out strongly in support of acclaimed director Adoor Gopalakrishnan amid a row over the latter’s remarks on government funding for filmmakers from marginalised communities.

Defending Gopalakrishnan, Thampi said the Dadasaheb Phalke awardee is one of the greatest living filmmakers in the world and questioned the criticism against his recent comments.

“What is wrong with his statements? The government is giving Rs 1.5 crore to promote filmmakers from marginalised sections—that’s public money,” Thampi told reporters here.

He said there was nothing inappropriate in suggesting that eligibility be assessed before disbursing such funds.

“We cannot simply give away public money. What is wrong with saying the fund should be provided after giving them necessary training in filmmaking?” he asked.

Thampi also clarified that Gopalakrishnan did not single out women or Dalit filmmakers. “He only said that those receiving government funding should have adequate knowledge about cinema. Camera is not a toy,” he added.

The veteran director also criticised playback singer Pushpavati, who protested from the audience while Gopalakrishnan was speaking at a government-organised film conclave on Sunday. “It was wrong to interrupt him during his speech. That was ignorance. She could have spoken after he finished,” Thampi claimed.

He added that he was unfamiliar with Pushpavati, despite reporters informing him of her credentials. “She once came to take a selfie with me at a railway station, but I still don’t know who she is,” he said.

In response, Pushpavati told a TV channel that she holds Sreekumaran Thampi in high regard and did not wish to comment further.

The controversy erupted after Gopalakrishnan said that the Kerala State Film Development Corporation’s (KSFDC) practice of offering Rs 1.5 crore to filmmakers from marginalised communities had not "yielded the intended results." He suggested that such aspiring filmmakers should first undergo training from experts before receiving financial support.

On Monday, Gopalakrishnan defended his remarks, stating that his intention was to empower new filmmakers and enhance their technical competence.