Veteran actor and politician Kamal Haasan on Friday criticised the decision of the Association of the Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) to reinduct actor Dileep into its fold even as he is an accused in the 2017 actress attack case. Backing Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), Haasan said, "Dileep should have been taken back only after a discussion. I support the stand taken by the WCC.” Haasan was speaking at the Manorama News Conclave 2018 in Kochi.
He slammed mindless censoring in films and the growing tendency to dictate terms to filmmakers. "Everybody is talking about freedom in art. But is there really a freedom like that? Censorship still exists in certain circumstances. What we need is a certificate, not cuts in cinema, director Shyam Benegal had once said. But the censor board is interested in giving instructions to ælm producers. It should be left to the freedom of people as to what they should view and what they shouldn't," Haasan stated.
"All we need is a certificate marking what is for children and what for adults, not cuts," he added.
Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore inaugurated the Manorama News Conclave 2018 on Friday morning. Prominent ministers, judges and other thinkers are participating at the Manorama News Conclave, which is into its second edition.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Alphons Kanamthanam are also attending the Manorama News Conclave. Other prominent speakers at the Manorama News Conclave include Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and DMK's Kanimozhi.