Superstar dominance over; Mammootty and Mohanlal should not control cinema, says Sreekumaran Thampi

Thiruvananthapuram: The era of superstar dominance, which has harmed the Malayalam film industry, has ended, said poet, lyricist, writer and director Sreekumaran Thampi. While speaking to reporters after the Hema Committee Report's release, Thampi asserted that while Mammootty and Mohanlal are great actors in Indian cinema, they should not have control over the industry.

Thampi's comments come a couple of days after the presentation of an award named after him to Mohanlal. “Mohanlal rose to fame through my film ‘Yuvajanolsavam,’ but since then, he has not given dates for my projects. In the past, the terms ‘superstars’ and ‘megastars’ did not exist; these labels were created for these two actors. Mammootty was cast as a hero in my film ‘Munnettam’ after I replaced Ratheesh with him. Since then, Mammootty, who was once humble, has changed and even tried to exclude me from a film for which I was to write songs. Suresh Gopi also played a role in sidelining me.”

Thampi criticised AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) for undermining MACTA (Malayalam Cine Technicians Association) and suggested that AMMA’s nominees have taken control of Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), dictating terms to producers. He noted, “It was the national award committees, including myself, that recommended awards for Mammootty and Mohanlal. I never let personal opinions affect my judgment of their performances. Even when my foundation recommended an award to Mohanlal, I did not oppose it.”

He also highlighted the disparity in remuneration, stating that actors like Mohanlal and Mammootty now receive a third of the total production cost, unlike in the past when actors like Prem Nazir and Sheela received a more modest share. “Despite producing 23 films, I am not rich,” Thampi said.

Thampi expressed concern that the current efforts in the industry are more about dismantling its structure than addressing the issues faced by female artists. He criticised Mohanlal's resignation from AMMA, calling it cowardice. He also said that, though he believes that Mukesh should resign, the decision regarding this should be taken by the CPM. “The unedited version of the Hema Committee Report should be released as soon as possible,” he added.