Singers' association demands apology from Adoor Gopalakrishnan for remarks on Pushpavathy
It also criticised Adoor’s comment questioning the presence of singers at a venue where professionals from all areas of filmmaking were sharing their views.
It also criticised Adoor’s comment questioning the presence of singers at a venue where professionals from all areas of filmmaking were sharing their views.
It also criticised Adoor’s comment questioning the presence of singers at a venue where professionals from all areas of filmmaking were sharing their views.
Singers Association Malayalam (SAMAM) has expressed strong protest against filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s remarks on playback singer Pushpavathy. In a statement, the association clarified that she had attended the film conclave upon official invitation, and not by sneaking in, as suggested by Adoor. It also criticised Adoor’s comment questioning the presence of singers at a venue where professionals from all areas of filmmaking were sharing their views, attributing it to his lack of understanding of music and its relevance in cinema.
SAMAM further demanded that Adoor issue a public apology for insulting a singer due to his ignorance. Here's the full text of the statement issued by SAMAM.
"SAMAM expresse strong protest against filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s recent remarks about playback singer Pushpavathy. Invitations to the film conclave related to Kerala's new film policy were extended to prominent playback singers in their official capacity as SAMAM office-bearers and personal capacities. These invitations were extended through the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and the office of the Minister for Cultural Affairs.
Contrary to what Adoor Gopalakrishnan suggests, the singers did not sneak into the conclave from nowhere.Singers have every right to express their views at a conclave convened to discuss the formation of Kerala’s new film policy. Questioning what role singers have in such a platform, where stakeholders from every sector of Malayalam cinema are invited to share their opinions, only reflects Adoor’s lack of understanding about the relevance of music and songs in cinema even after spending six decades in the field.
Adoor is free to decide that his own films won’t have songs or background scores. However, asserting that singers and others involved in music are not part of cinema is an extremely objectionable stance. His inability to recognise Pushpavathy, one of the most acclaimed playback singers in Malayalam cinema over the past two decades, a former executive committee member of SAMAM and the current vice-chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, makes it evident that Adoor Gopalakrishnan is completely unaware of contemporary film music and the functioning of government institutions.
Statements like these, made by him, might have stemmed from an unwillingness to acknowledge the significance of music and songs in cinema as a medium of entertainment and from a refusal to recognise the contributions of those working in the field of film music. By insulting an artist and the entire community of playback singers through his ignorance, Adoor Gopalakrishnan owes an apology to the public.
SAMAM declares its full support to Pushpavathy, who continues to engage powerfully with social issues as a playback singer. Statements made by filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan during the valedictory session of the Cinema Conclave organised by the Kerala Government have sparked major controversy. While addressing the gathering, Adoor remarked that individuals from Scheduled communities aspiring to make films should first undergo proper training. He also opined that financial support for filmmaking should not be extended solely on the basis of gender.
Playback singer Pushpavathy, who was in the audience, strongly objected to his remarks and registered her protest. However, Adoor later claimed that the person who protested had no real connection with the world of cinema.