Tamil and Malayalam language writer and literary critic B Jeyamohan, who drew flak for his remark against the superhit movie 'Manjummel Boys', reiterated his stand saying that he did not mean to denounce Malayalis but was only stating his opinion.
According to Jeyamohan, the youths shown in the movie are obnoxious people with no sense of history, art or politics. “The characters shown in the movie only speak about consuming liquor. Do they have any sense of history or politics? They drink, create a ruckus in public and then fall into a hole in a drunken stupor. The person who enters the cave to save the friend is also a drunkard. This is not bravery. Friendships between drunkards are not true friendships. This sort of bonding also exists between criminals. I will not allow Malayalis to proclaim they are drunkards,” he said.
Jeyamohan, whose remarks have not gone down well with film producers, actors and directors in Kerala, said he also found it problematic how the movie depicted youngsters' vibe. “Everyone is claiming this movie shows how youngsters enjoy their lives. The movie sends out that message. Now, producers will start demanding to portray such a vibe in films. I sat through five script discussions in the past few days, with producers demanding such a vibe,” he said.
He also slammed people who claimed the movie portrays a bunch of hardworking people. “Are you claiming that people who drink 24 hours a day, create ruckus in public and break beer bottles are hardworking? This is a complete disregard for people who truly work hard. I am someone who belongs to that category. I was part of trade unions and know the people who work hard. They are the ones who read, are socially aware and stand for virtues. Not like the ones they have depicted in the movie,” he said.
He also claimed that the number of people going to the forest in an inebriated condition has increased. “There are many news reports about such incidents. Freedom of expression is for art and thought and not the mass media. No country will give unbridled freedom to mass media. In a country like the USA, which is the freest country in the world, there is a ban on child porn. Manjummel Boys has freedom of expression, but does it seem right when you say that I don't have the freedom to call it obnoxious,” he said.
