Unaware of Dadri lynching, Akademi award controversy: Malayalam actress Shobana

Thiruvananthapuram: Acclaimed Malayalam actress and danseuse Shobana has no idea that a Muslim man was lynched in Dadri for eating beef and that several writers have returned their awards in protest.  When journalists on Tuesday sought Shobana’s comments on the protest by dozens of writers, she expressed surprise. “Which award? And who has returned (them)?” Shobana quickly added that she won’t return hers. When reporters pressed for details, the actress said: “May be someone has returned the award because they got it late in their life. I am not going to return the award that I got.” When it was pointed out the awards were returned to protest against the killing of Kannada writer M.M. Kalburgi and the lynching of the Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh, she said she was not aware. She appeared to have no clue even about eminent Kerala writer Sarah Joseph’s decision to return her Kendra Sahitya Academy award. Shobana hails from the Kerala capital but now lives in Chennai. She was here to take part in the 38th edition of the Soorya Festival. IANS