The Kerala Police have received legal advice stating that no case can be filed against renowned film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan for his remarks regarding financial support to Scheduled Caste (SC) and women filmmakers.
The comments were made during the closing ceremony of the Kerala Film Policy Conclave held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
According to the legal opinion received by the police, Adoor’s speech did not contain any reference to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) communities that could be construed as violating the law.
The advice clarified that he did not advocate stopping funds for SC/ST filmmakers or suggest that such support was wrong. It concluded that if Adoor’s speech is viewed in its entirety, the allegations in the complaint are unlikely to stand up in court.
Dalit activist Dinu Veyil had filed a complaint against Gopalakrishnan under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with the Museum Police in Thiruvananthapuram and also approached the Kerala State SC/ST Commission.
In his complaint, Veyil alleged that Adoor made statements inciting hatred, resentment, and prejudice against the SC/ST community.
During his address at the conclave, Adoor Gopalakrishnan criticized the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) for what he termed as excessive financial support being provided to SC filmmakers.
He suggested that filmmakers from the SC community should undergo training and that funds should not be disbursed without proper preparation or evaluation.
“Those from SC backgrounds should be given at least three months of training under experienced filmmakers before being supported. The ₹1.5 crore grant should be split among three people, rather than funding a single project. Government money shouldn’t be used just because the film has a superstar or simply because the director is a woman,” he said.
Adoor further stated that many of the films funded under the initiative lacked quality and artistic value.
“They need to be taught how a film is made. These are public funds. The amount should be reduced to ₹50 lakh. The government is not giving money to make commercial films,” Gopalakrishnan added. “Same goes with women. Don’t give money to make a film just because she is a woman,” he said.
Meanwhile, several women’s organizations — including the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), Disha, and Anveshi — have filed a complaint with the Women’s Commission against Adoor Gopalakrishnan over his controversial remarks.
The complaint demands that Adoor be summoned and made to explain his statements on extending financial support to SC and women filmmakers at the conclave.