Karunagappally: Celebrated filmmaker Blessy has reignited the conversation around artistic freedom, asserting that freedom of expression only holds true when artists can speak without fear. He was addressing a session at the Karunagappally Literary Festival.

Blessy revealed that his film Aadujeevitham (The Goat Life) was initially handed an 'A' certificate by the Censor Board, allegedly due to a scene featuring lead actor Prithviraj in a state of nudity. “I asked them whether they genuinely considered that nudity. When I didn’t get a clear answer, I walked out,” he said, adding that the decision was later reversed after an appeal to the Central Board.

The session was moderated by journalist Shaheera Nazeer.

The literary festival saw participation from prominent voices including Zacharia, Sunil P. Ilayidom, Santhosh Echikkanam, C.P. John, K. Somaprasad, Madhu Nair (New York), Vimal Roy, Jyothilal, and Dr. Shankar Mahadevan, among others, who discussed a range of cultural and socio-political issues.

The festival concludes on Sunday with discussions featuring V.R. Sudheesh, Prabha Varma, P.K. Parakkadavu, M.B. Mini, Rajeev Alunkal, Kalpetta Narayanan, G.R. Indugopan, and actor Vijayaraghavan. An award ceremony will take place at 6:30 PM, followed by a musical evening.