Row over actor Salim Kumar not invited to IFFK Kochi edition gets political

National award winning Kerala actor Salim Kumar’s allegation that he was excluded from the inauguration of the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) Kochi edition because he was a Congress person has created a furore in the state. Salim Kumar had said that it was his proximity to the Congress that made the organisers exclude him from the inaugural ceremony in Kochi in which 24 persons who had won awards at various levels lit the lamp.

“If a Congress person won an award he won’t be included, I would have understood that if I was told that plainly. I was told by a member of the Committee itself that I was excluded because of my age. I will be older to them, directors Aashiq Abu and Amal Neerad, who were there in the list of invitees. I will be older than them by three or four years, but I am not a 90-year old. This is a festival conducted by those affiliated to the CPI (M),” Salim Kumar had said.

Minister for Culture AK Balan responded saying that the allegations made despite Chalachithra Akademi Chairman Kamal tendering an apology should be viewed as a political response. “Salim Kumar wasn’t excluded. If his political affinity was considered why he was invited to other government organised events like inauguration of theatre in Paravur,” the minister asked.

Kamal has also responded to the allegation by saying that there could be political interest in Salim’s allegation. Kamal however has said that he had spoken to Salim Kumar for over half an hour the previous day of the inauguration. Salim Kumar had won the national award for the best actor in 2011 for the movie Adaminte Makan Abu.

“As chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy I am responsible if anything wrong takes place. Salim Kumar is a long-time friend who worked in many of my movies. I don’t even know how an actor like him thought that he won’t be invited to an event being held in Kochi. I was ready to go to his home to invite him, but he missed the opportunity for that. Then there could be something political in it,” Kamal told the media.

Kamal also said that the controversies and allegations cannot weaken the festival.

“The response of Salim Kumar was not in the right spirit when he was contacted by the organising committee. I had even apologised for the inconvenience caused to him. His stand was that he won’t take part even if I invited him ,” Kamal reportedly said.