IANS/Thiruvananthapuram
Well-known filmmaker Priyadarshan was under fire yesterday for saying that the Malayalam film industry was in a shambles as it did not have a minister to manage it.
Priyadarshan made the statement at the annual state film award function, organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
The filmmaker is the chairman of the body.
Ever since K B Ganesh Kumar resigned as state minister for cinema on April 14 after his wife complained of domestic violence against him, the portfolio is being looked after by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who was present at the event.
“Who is Priyadarshan to make such a callous statement? That portfolio is being handled by the chief minister now and he says that the cinema department is rudderless. Priyadarshan should quit as chairman because he insulted the chief minister,” Kerala government chief whip P C George said.
“It was good that I was not present at that meeting. Had I been there, he would have seen my true colours,” he added.
Priyadarshan and Ganesh Kumar are close friends and in his speech the filmmaker said the film industry would be grateful if the chief minister could appoint a minister like Ganesh, if not Ganesh himself. This remark has irked the politicians.
K Muraleedharan, former state Congress president and son of K Karunakaran, said the Congress-led United Democratic Front will decide on who the minister should be, not Priyadarshan.
“I have told the state Congress president that before a decision is made, the Congress Party and the government co-ordination committee should meet. I have my opinion on that and I will speak about it there,” Muraleedharan told reporters yesterday.