Two Malayalam film stars are finding themselves at the receiving end of a campaign carried out by a religious group. It started with the release of Kaaval (Guard), a movie in which Suresh Gopi, BJP’s Rajya Sabha member played the lead role. Film buffs thronged theaters to watch their favourite star who returned to the big screen after a hiatus. But they were taken aback when groups of well dressed and sweet talking youngsters approached them and pleaded with them not to watch the movie.
“This is the first time in my life people asking me not to buy tickets. They told me that movie has a fascist playing the lead role and it was my duty to boycott the movie and make sure that the film bombs in the box office,” Roshy Raveendran, a travel operator based in Errnakulam, told The Pioneer.
Lakshmi Sreekumar, a human resources professional, too had the same experience in a theatre in Ernakulam. “I do not have any complaints against them because they looked like gentlemen except in their demand,” said Sreekumar.
Prasant Arya in Thiruvananthapuram was also requested by a group of youngsters asking him not to buy tickets for watching “Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea” in which Mohan Lal was the hero. “This is shocking. Suresh Gopi is a BJP activist and I can understand certain outfits campaigning against him. But Mohan Lal is an apolitical person and I find no justification in their plea not to watch the movie,” said Arya.
G Suresh Kumar, film producer and owner of Revathi Kalamandir, the company that produces blockbuster cinemas too sounded upset over the developments. “This has caused a communal division among the film fraternity and it is a shocking development. We may have to think many times over before venturing out to make movies. Despite the efforts by these groups, I understand both the movies became hits with filmgoers,” said Suresh Kumar.
It all started with a controversy over food being served in Halal hotels in the State. Things took a turn for the worst when videos of some religious leaders spitting on food went viral in social media. Though social activists and intelligentsia strongly denied the existence of such practices, some zealots came out in the open and justified the act quoting religious scriptures. It is widely believed that the call to boycott the movies of Suresh Gopi and Lal are in retaliation.