Adoor Gopalakrishnan: I don't want to watch RRR 

Renowned filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan , who kickstarted the new wave in Malayalam cinema is not a fan of the OTTs. The national-award-winning director made his bold statement at The New Indian Express' ThinkEdu Conclave, “I’m not a fan of OTT. It will finish off cinema. Cinema is meant to be seen on the big screen. Audiences are completely devoted to the cinema when they watch it in theatre, but it's not the case with OTTs.” he said. 

The legendary filmmaker was speaking on the topic The Art of Filmmaking at the 12th edition of the education conclave. He went on to surprise the audience once again by saying that he doesn't want to watch the blockbuster RRR. “I have not watched the film yet and from what I’m hearing about it, I do not want to watch it. I do not want to give my money to a movie that I know I will not like," he said. 

Speaking about the film-viewing habits of the present times, he said, "Nowadays, people do not watch cinema, they just hear it. And they do not give cinema the respect that it deserves. The highs and lows are not conveyed on television, only the medium portion reaches the masses. Mediocrity is the main element on TV."

Expressing his thoughts on the current controversy at the KR Narayanan National Institute of Visual Science and Arts, Kerala, he said, “It is a calculated, planned and scripted attack on the institution. Many teachers resigned saying that the institution has no future. Very vicious propaganda has been put against the institute. I’m sad that the institute is getting a bad name but I’m happy that now, it has reached more people.”

He added that he knew that there are people within and outside the institute with interests who have a lot to gain from the institute's fall. "Until Shankar Menon (former director of the institute) stepped in, there was complete anarchy, Menon brought in discipline," Gopalakrishnan added.

Talking about the history of film viewing in India, he said that film societies brought many good films from across the globe to India. "They made people understand good cinema and kindled their interest to study them. Many people joined FTII after watching world cinema through film societies," Gopalakrishnan added.  

About the merger of the Films Division of India (FDI), Children’s Film Society and Directorate of Film Festivals with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), he said, "All these separate entities had individual existence and excelled well. Now, they are bundled together. Running NDFC with event managers is a terrible approach."

Talking about the role of FDI in developing cinema in India, he said, “It was the training ground for young filmmakers. Once they learnt to make documentaries there, they made good films. They did not go behind the glamour, but went after the art of cinema."