The Kerala Police have decided not to proceed with legal action against acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan following a complaint over his controversial remarks at the Kerala Film Policy Conclave. The complaint, filed by activist Dinu Veyil, had urged the registration of a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, citing offensive content in Adoor’s speech. However, the police, after obtaining legal advice, concluded that his comments did not amount to a criminal offence.
According to police sources, the assistant public prosecutor reviewed the full speech and found that the content did not meet the threshold for action under any relevant legal provisions, including the SC/ST Act. Adoor’s comments, made at the government-hosted event intended to shape Kerala’s future film policy, sparked significant backlash.
In his speech, the veteran director questioned the practice of awarding large public grants to first-time filmmakers from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and women’s communities solely based on identity, without prior training.
Facing mounting criticism, Adoor clarified that his remarks were not aimed at any particular community but focused on ensuring proper use of state funding. He argued that creative training is essential for first-time filmmakers, regardless of background, to maintain quality and accountability in filmmaking.
In a separate development, women’s groups, including the Women in Cinema Collective, have submitted complaints to the Kerala Women’s Commission regarding the speech.
