‘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.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Ma
Nishad/Instagram
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.
