Even as Minister V Sivankutty withdrew his controversial statement that a prominent actress demanded a huge fee to train for the dance performance of the state school youth festival’s welcome song, the issue has sparked widespread discussions. The Minister earlier mentioned that the actress’s stance was hurtful and implied that she was driven by money. He had claimed that the actress asked for Rs 5 lakh as payment.

Opinions have been divided, with some supporting the Minister and others backing the actress. In this context, actress and renowned dancer Asha Sharath has now responded with a clear stance. She had offered free dance training at last year’s state school youth festival. She responded by saying that whether to accept a fee or not is a personal decision for each individual.

“Art is a livelihood for artists like us. There are many artists, including myself, who perform on various stages and live off the remuneration we earn from it, both within Kerala and outside. Whether to accept a fee or not is a personal choice for everyone.

“In the last state school youth festival, I performed a dance with 60 children. I trained them before the performance. I went two days earlier to train with them. It was something I did because I wanted to. The year before, I had also been the chief guest with the Chief Minister. At that time, some children asked if they could perform with me, but the circumstances did not allow for it. I promised those children that I would perform with them the following year, and I kept that promise. I accepted the invitation from the government with great joy and pride the next year. I paid for my own ticket from Dubai and performed with the children. I did not expect any payment for that,” Asha said.

“The state school youth festival is a dream stage for all artists. I have always watched it in awe. It is the platform where our new generation grows. When we perform with them, we also get to be a part of their journey, and that joy is what made me participate.

“I am not just a dancer; I am also a dance teacher. Whether it’s right or wrong is a personal matter. I perform in many government events and accept fees for them. That is our profession, and there is nothing wrong with earning a wage. However, when it comes to performing with children, I personally decided that I did not need a fee. I cannot tell someone else to do the same,” she pointed out.

She further said, “Every artist has the right to accept or decline the fee they are offered. There is no need for such issues to become a major discussion. If you ask whether this should be made into a controversy, the answer is no, there is no need for it.”