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Film lorifying communist movement faces criticism - The Times of India

P.K. Surendran ()
November 24, 1998

Title: Film 'glorifying' communist movement faces criticism
Author: P.K. Surendran
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 24, 1998

After the book it is cinema. The ruling CPM of Kerala, charged
with "crimsonising" bid of history-writing, is now drawing flak
for "glorifying" the communist movement in a movie.

Pulayars (a scheduled caste) on Monday took out a protest march
before the Secretariat demanding erasing of "derogatory
references" to the Pulayars in the movie, Raktasakshikal
Zindabad (Hail the Martyrs) -a film portraying the communist
movement of the early half of this century.

It is not only the Pulayars, even some CPM activists too have
taken exception to the film, which they accused of justifying
"dissensions" in the party. The storyline traces the struggle of
a Brahmin youth, a Christian youth and a Dalit labourer, in the
early Communist movement with women playing insignificant roles.
The film has two reigning superstars, Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi.

What enraged the comrades more was the publicity posters
splashed with smiling faces of Marxist leader Acrid chief
minister E.K. Nayanar, Left Front convenor V.S. Achuthanandan.
"This is sacrilege", remarked Monojan Karayi, a Marxist activist
of Kannur. The chief minister's office clarified that the
posters of the chief minister was used in connection with the
inaugural run of the picture, not for publicising the movie.

"The association of chief minister's picture in publicity
material gives the impression that the film is authentic about
the Communist struggles," says Ms Mallika, cine actor and
president of Children Film Society. "This is most objectionable
as the chief minister of a state should not be equated with
movie actors. The chief minister has a higher and greater role
in the society than film artists," she said. Ms Mallika
believes that Mr Nayanar should not have been a party to this
game.

None of the Congress leaders contacted had seen the film, but
the party veteran K. Sankaranarayanan said, the CPM always
"twisted" history and used every opportunity to further the
Communist propaganda. It is therefore no surprise that such
films with posters of chief minister come out. No senior CPM
leader was available for comment.

Cine critics and writers in vernacular media too have come out
strongly against the "bid to glorify the Brahminist leadership
of the Communist movement", as one of them, S. Rajagopal put it.
"While the fact is that those in the lower strata of society and
Dalits lent flesh and blood to the Communist movement, this
attempt to portray the Brahmins enlightened and pioneers in the
communist struggles, seems to have been made with the aim of
some gain," he adds.

But a leading character-actor, Nedumudi Venu, could not figure
out the obsession of leaders in literature and media in a mere
entertainment medium of cinema. "The producer and director have
said the film was a commercial venture and not a true portrayal
of history, why then the brouhaha?" he questioned. Mr Venu
believes that the cultural leaders and media are frittering away
their energy on trivia.

"Creating controversy is the sure way of generating interest in
anything today. It is time all of us realised this," Mr Venu
said.


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