Don't attend film festivals for 'hot scenes': Adoor Gopalakrishnan remark sparks outrage

At a time when Kolkata is buzzing with a film festival in the city and Kerala is preparing for one next month, Malayalam filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has stirred a hornet’s nest by suggesting that a section of the audience in Indian film festivals only want to watch films hoping to catch some steamy sex scenes in the process. Gopalakrishnan, whose films have been hailed world over, is the chairman of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) organising committee. A report on The Indian Express says that Gopalakrishnan suggested that people coming to watch films at a festival should be familiar with English so as to understand subtitles. [caption id=“attachment_1802289” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Adoor Gopalakrishnan. IBN Live.[/caption] The IE report says, “The 19th edition of IIFK is slated for next month here and huge response of delegates has been a major highlight of the film festival in Kerala. The IFFK advisory committee, headed by Gopalakrishnan, has introduced a screening method for selecting delegates, who would be issued theatre passes during the festival.” The Telegraph reports on the controversy: “Adoor has suggested that instead of “expectations of hot scenes”, a certain level of education, familiarity with films and discipline are expected of film festival audiences. But his effort to regulate entry to what is essentially a niche event — reduced over the years to political grandstanding or feel-good jamborees in some states — has ignited a firestorm of protest in Kerala.” Gopalakrishnan is said to have suggested that while several film lovers fail to make it to the threates, a lot of unruly people who assume that world films come with a healthy dose of steamy scenes, crowd to the halls. In fact, he said, they make the atmosphere of the festival unruly. While a lot of regulars at film festivals in Kolkata and Kerala will agree with the director, his comments have sparked great outrage among cinema lovers themselves. Noted film critic and writer NS Madhavan was one of the most prominent voices to lash out against Gopalakrishnan’s decision. He sent a series of tweets condemning the decision to screen delegates.