Kochi: Veteran actor and politician Kamal Haasan on Friday slammed mindless censoring in films and the growing tendency to dictate terms to filmmakers.
"Everybody is talking about freedom in art. But is there really a freedom like that? Censorship still exists in certain circumstances. What we need is a certificate, not cuts in cinema, director Shyam Benegal had once said. But the censor board is interested in giving instructions to film producers. It should be left to the freedom of people as to what they should view and what they shouldn't," Haasan stated.
"All we need is a certificate marking what is for children and what for adults, not cuts," he added.
The budding politician said he was never afraid of questions, instead, he liked them since he believed that questions sculpted him as a person. He added that freedom is the foundation of a democratic government and since people themselves have become good actors, he need not act now.
Haasan also criticised the decision of the Association of the Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) to re-induct actor Dileep into its fold even as he is an accused in the 2017 actress attack case. Backing Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), Haasan said, while speaking on the sidelines of the event, "Dileep should have been taken back only after a discussion. I support the stand taken by the WCC."
In a question-answer session, earlier at the Conclave, he said that he liked Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for many reasons.
The second edition of the Manorama News Conclave on theme 'Freedom' is under way in Kochi which is attended by opinion makers, ministers, actors, judges, thinkers and writers and so on. The conclave is being be held at the Lulu Grand Hyatt International Convention Centre at Bolgatty Palace.
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