Adoor said that there was no need to teach scriptwriting and film-making in school.Legendary film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan said actor Dileep is one of the finest actors in the Malayalam cinema. In conversation with John Samuel on ‘Theater and Cinema’ at the Kriti Literary Festival, Adoor said Pinneyum was his best film and that he has nothing to say to those who do not understand the movie. “My movies have always invited criticisms. Nobody accepted Swayamvaram when it was released. When Mukhamukaham came out, some alleged it was against the communist ideology. Now they have turned against Pinneyum. Pinneyum is, in fact, one of my favourite movies,” said the award-winning film-maker.
Adoor said that there was no need to teach scriptwriting and film-making in school. Instead, students should be inspired to take up reading and develop a taste for art and artists. He added that he didn’t think that scriptwriting should be taught, as the script was only a guide for a film-maker to direct his movie. The veteran film-maker said, “Cinema improvises from a script. All my published screenplays are based on my released movies. The script prior to the filming would be entirely different. I don’t think people who never wrote a play, novel or poetry, or even acted in a drama can do anything in cinema.”
When asked whether he would direct another movie, he replied that he couldn’t say that now. He said that there usually was a state of blankness after each movie, before taking up the next project. “In order to understand cinema, one should watch and appreciate world cinema, there should be a movie culture. Those who criticize do not understand real cinema. There was a time when Malayalam cinema became a concern, but things are changing now. A lot of new film-makers are trying to present new visions and perspectives,” said the ace director.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan warned that non-Malayalam movies like Baahubali are siphoning money off Kerala using widespread advertising and paid news.
