Director Abhinav Sunder Nayak's Mollywood Times opened in theatres recently to mostly positive reviews. Critics and audiences praised the Naslen starrer for its satirical exploration of film-related themes, especially concerning what it means to be successful in cinema. However, one particular element in the film, regarding caste-reservation, has become a topic of discussion among critics and film buffs.
Mollywood Times has characters hailing from underprivileged backgrounds who wonder whether their success stems from their social identity or talents. The film argues that lack of recognition based on merit is likely, something which a part of the audience regards as its critique of reservation on the basis of caste. Some viewers took an objection to this idea, calling it problematic.
In a recent question and answer session with his followers on Instagram, Abhinav Sunder Nayak addressed the criticism. A user asked the filmmaker how he confirms whether his cinema shows exactly what he wants to communicate and how he would like it to happen, citing reservation as an example.
In response, the director wrote, "It is communicated in the film with utmost clarity. I am only responsible for what I say, not what they understand."
Another user asked Abhinav about his approach towards tackling hatred, and the filmmaker responded, saying, "It is a cycle. I do not need to bother about anything else as long as I am being true to myself. So let it be. Things will sort themselves out."
Mollywood Times follows a youngster (Naslen) with a dream of becoming the finest maker of horror films in Malayalam cinema. However, corruption and politics in the film industry makes it difficult for him to achieve his goal. The film also stars Sangeeth Prathap, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Sharaf U Dheen, Roshan Shanavas, Appunni Sasi, and Gopika Ramesh, among others.
According to the industry tracker Sacnilk, it has earned a gross collection of 18.18 crore from theatres worldwide and a net collection of 9.83 crore.
