Actor Mohanlal confirmed to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Culture Minister A.K. Balan that he will attend the state film awards function. The government will send him the official invite on Wednesday.
This comes amidst a controversy over a petition signed by over 100 artists against the Kerala state government's decision to invite Mohnlal as the chief guest at the state film awards function. The statement, which doesn't name the actor, read, “The Kerala state film award is the highest recognition given by a state and hence this award should be given to them in an atmosphere suited to the artists. The stage should host a simple function where the chief minister himself presents the awards in the presence of cultural minister. Inviting a chief guest is not the right thing and undervalue the achievement of the award winners”.
This has prompted the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), headed by Mohanlal, and other prominent unions to write to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan to probe the real motive behind the mass petition signed by 107 people against the government’s proposal.
Along with the AMMA, the Kerala Film Chamber of Commerce, the Kerala Film Producers Association, the Film Distributors' Association (Kerala), the Film Exhibitors’ United Organisation of Kerala and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala have urged the chief minister to probe any conspiracy behind the mass petition.
Though the mass petition urges the government to revisit the idea of having a chief guest at the awards
ceremony, the signatories’ ultimate aim seems to be cornering Mohanlal, the unions alleged. Some of the signatories had revealed their 'agenda' days ahead of the publication of the petition, the unions alleged.
Veteran filmmaker and Kerala State Chalachitra Academy chairman Kamal also had alleged political
motive behind the move. Kamal said he would not oppose if the government decides to invite Mohanlal to the function. "It is up to the chief minister and the government to take a call on who should be invited," he said.
Mohanlal had come under severe criticism ever since the new AMMA general body led by him made an attempt to reinduct Dileep, accused in the actress assault case, into the actors' body.
Meanwhile, the movement of sorts seems to have fizzled out. Actor Prakash Raj, who was reported to be one of the petitioners, posted a video on Twitter and said that he was not singling out Mohanlal, and that fake news was being circulated. He also said that he hadn't signed the memorandum against Mohanlal.
“There are rumours that I have signed a memorandum against Mohanlal ji. This is false. I have neither signed such a memorandum nor heard of it. Yes, I have my difference with the decisions AMMA had taken, and I have very clearly told my stance. I do not accept it. It was insensitive to have taken such a decision. But this news that I am singling out Mohanlal ji, such a statured actor, and that I have been a part of signing a memorandum, is false,” Prakash Raj said in the video. Director Dr Biju whose Facebook post had triggered the campaign, later wrote on Facebook : “It was a general stand that we took. But after the media rakes up a controversy in the name of a particular star and then ask someone whether they have signed a petition against Mohanlal it is only natural that the answer would be no.”
-with inputs from Onmanorama