Filmmaker’s act mars Kerala Day spirit

Anil Radhakrishnan Menon faces flak for incident at college union function

Malayalis across the world woke up to the 63rd Kerala Day on Friday, only to lower their heads in disgrace caused by an incident in which a National Award winning Malayali filmmaker refused to share a stage with a budding actor.

Director Anil Radhakrishnan Menon of ‘North 24 Katham’ fame evoked severe criticism from various quarters for refusing to share the stage with budding actor Bineesh Bastin at a function held at Government Medical College here on Thursday.

Mr. Bastin had been invited as the chief guest to the function in which Mr. Menon was to release a magazine brought out by the college students union. As Mr. Menon refused to share the stage with Mr. Bastin considering him as a “third-rate actor looking for a chance in films”, the organisers approached Mr. Bastin and asked him to come after the magazine release function.

Humiliation

Humiliated by Mr. Menon’s refusal to share the platform with him, and the organisers’ subservience to “an egregiously unjust demand”, Mr. Bastin walked on to the stage and sat on the ground.

The embarrassed organisers were aghast as he read out his protest: “I’m not an upper caste person, and I have not won a national award. I’m a mason who has done several insignificant roles in films…. Caste or religion is not the matter. I too am a man.”

Medical College Principal T.B. Culas had tried to stop Mr. Bastin when he reached the venue. Dr. Culas had even threatened to call the police when the actor proceeded to mount the attack. Mr. Bastin’s protest has shaken the Malayali psyche, inviting a barrage of criticism not only against Mr. Menon, but the college authorities and the students union officials as well.

The incident turned viral on the social media, dampening the spirit of the 63rd Kerala Day celebrations.

Menon apologises

Mr. Menon has apologised to Mr. Bastin. He denied having described Mr. Bastin as a third-rate actor. “I never refused to share the stage with him. All are doing the same job irrespective of their stature. I’m sorry. Bineesh, I’m really sorry,” he told a television channel. But students union chairman K. Vaishnav said that they had to request Mr. Bastin to come after an hour as Mr. Menon refused to share the stage with him.

Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes A.K. Balan said that the government would take action if Mr. Bastin was found to have been humiliated. He said he would seek an explanation from the principal.

The Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) has sought an explanation from Mr. Menon. FEFKA general secretary B. Unnikrishnan described the incident as shameful.

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