Veteran filmmaker and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi has voiced his support for Adoor Gopalakrishnan, following the row surrounding the latter’s remarks at the Kerala Film Policy Conclave. He also condemned renowned singer Pushpavathy’s decision to interrupt Adoor’s speech at the event, calling it disrespectful. Speaking to the media, Sreekumaran Thampi stated that Adoor, a Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient and internationally recognised filmmaker, deserved the courtesy of being heard in full. “Regardless of one’s disagreements, cutting someone off mid-speech, especially a stalwart like Adoor, shows poor judgement. It was neither civil nor constructive,” he said.
Sreekumaran Thampi maintained that Adoor’s comments on the need for basic training before taking on state-funded film projects were valid and had been taken out of context. “There’s absolutely nothing objectionable about advocating for cinema education. It’s a technical art form, not merely about creative expression. Unfortunately, the media is portraying Adoor’s words through a narrow, one-sided lens,” he noted. Reflecting on his own six-decade-long career, Sreekumaran Thampi also criticised the use of public funds in recent government-backed productions. He claimed that the budgets reported for several of these films seemed inflated and questioned the lack of professional experience behind some of them. “I’ve seen a few of these works. I doubt Rs 1.5 crore was genuinely spent on any. It appears more a case of inexperience than misuse, but either way, the quality suffers,” he said.
Turning his attention to Pushpavathy, who is also the vice chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and best known for her popular track 'Chembavu Punnellin' from the film Salt N' Pepper, Sreekumaran Thampi remarked that her protest appeared more theatrical than sincere. “I don’t know this individual or their work. They may have talent, but this wasn’t the way to make a point. Waiting until Adoor had finished would have been far more dignified,” he said, adding that he had only come across her once in a photo taken at a railway station.
Sreekumaran Thampi also commented on broader trends within Kerala’s cultural institutions, stating that appointments to bodies like the Sahitya Akademi and Sangeetha Nataka Akademi are often politically driven. As for cinema itself, he noted the shift away from song sequences and raised concerns over festival audiences attending screenings for sensational content. “Adoor has always stood for artistic integrity,” Sreekumaran Thampi concluded. “He may speak bluntly, but his commitment to meaningful cinema is unquestionable.”
