‘Those with male upper-class privilege won’t understand’: Filmmaker Shruthi Sharanyam hits back at Adoor’s remark

Thiruvananthapuram: Filmmaker Shruthi Sharanyam, director of B 32 Muthal B 44 Vare---a film produced by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC)--has spoken out against the remarks made by acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan during the closing session of the recent Cinema Conclave.

Adoor's comment, which has sparked considerable criticism, suggested that Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe filmmakers and women directors receiving government support should first undergo three months of intensive training under experts.

In a strongly worded social media post, Shruthi Sharanyam challenged the assumptions behind Adoor’s statement. She said that the government had not merely handed over ₹1.5 crore to filmmakers like herself without due process.

“The opportunity didn’t just fall into our laps,” she wrote. “Our scripts were selected through a year-long competition involving nearly four rounds, judged by different juries at each stage.”

Full statement by Shruthi Sharanyam:

Dear Adoor Sir,

I have only now received the full text of your speech at the Film Conclave today. That is why, when many in the media asked for my reaction a little while ago, I said, "I don't know what he actually said. So I will not respond right now."

Sir, the government did not just give us Rs 1.50 crore to make a film. Our scripts were selected through a competition that lasted about a year and had around four rounds. To my knowledge, the selections were made by different jury members appointed for each round.

We few directors who made films under government production had to step away from our professional and personal lives for about two years for our films. This Rs 1.50 crore is not deposited into our private accounts, but into the account of the KSFDC. The entire production management of the film is the responsibility of the KSFDC. We have no role in it. Moreover, we have probably spent more money out of our own pockets than the remuneration we received for these films.

Now, let me say one more thing, Sir -- it has been two years since my first film, made under government production, was released. I believe my film received a fair amount of audience attention. Yet, to this day, not a single producer in Malayalam cinema has asked, "Do you have any subjects on hand?" I have knocked on the doors of many actors and producers. Most are not even willing to reply to the messages I send, let alone listen to the story.

However, I don't have the financial capacity to produce a film on my own. The existence of Chitralekha Film Co-operative and Raveendran Nair was also your good fortune, Sir. That luck may not be bestowed upon everyone, especially women and marginalized people. Those who have lived with male upper-class privilege will not understand these difficulties, Sir.

This is why I haven't said a single word anywhere that would undermine this government scheme. I have suffered many losses in my professional and personal life because of this scheme. I have had to face a lot of financial difficulties. I have had to face a lot of humiliation from many officials who are in charge of the scheme. Many whom I considered friends until then have turned against me. Despite enduring all this, I have not opposed the government's film production scheme. Because, thanks to such a scheme, my first film was made.

I also realize that it is not at all easy for someone like me to get a producer in the current climate. Then, as you mentioned, if we had received adequate training, the film might have been even better. That applies not only to us but to anyone making a film for the first time. Therefore, I wish to take your statement in a positive light. But then again, I wish that someone like you had seen at least one of our films before making such a statement.

Now for another thing -- are labels like commercial cinema, mainstream cinema, parallel cinema, etc., appropriate for this era where AI is taking over our creativity and technology, Sir?

In my view, it is the values a film puts forward that make it stand out. In that sense, all the films released under government production are distinctive. Those who generally have a disinterest in narrative cinema may not even feel that these films are films. However, I believe that the general public has been able to embrace these films to some extent.

Dear Adoor Sir, if possible, please tell KSFDC to take our films from C-Space and put them on some open platform. That way, at least a few more people can watch them. You could watch them too, Sir.

P.S: As I am aware that everyone makes statements based on their own value systems, I am not taking this statement at face value either.