The jury is sitting. Screening has begun. The state film awards are expected to be declared on 25th of April. A total of 23 feature films, have come as entries have been scheduled for screening in the state owned Sree theatre at Trivandrum.

Sri Priyadarsan the popular director heads the jury. All are not happy with the choice. The question "What's a commercial film director doing in a jury which was headed by prominent film makers in the past years?' has not been answered officially. Well the question is not asked publicly either. It is all in murmurs.

The murmurs are answered. 'All directors are in one sense commercial. They all want their films to be commercially successful. They all want their films to be seen by a good number of viewers. Even Adoor Gopalakrishnan. But it doesn't happen always. Priyadarsan knows the art and technique of films. He makes films of his choice. But he can judge good films.'

But the controversy centers on filmmakers holding positions in Film Academy and films by them competing for awards during that period. Director T K Rajeevkumar and Director Kamala are important functionaries in the Chalachitra academy. T K Rajevkumar resigned his post following his film Sesham entered into the competition section of the international festival of Kerala. Sesham is also an entry for the state film awards. Directors like Balachandra Menon criticized this a few days earlier. Rajeevkumar resigned.

Kamal who directed Megha Malhar is still holding a position in the body. Megha Malhar is also an entry for the state award. Meanwhile the general council of Chalachitra academy decided that in the event of a filmmaker getting an award, he should renounce it if he wants to continue in his post in academy. Kamal has declared that he will not accept the individual award fetched by the film. So he will continue in academy.

The scenario of distrust and accusations also continues. The result is that chance of a good film is lost in competition or the organizational abilities of a director are axed. Both ways cause for good cinema is strangled. The peculiar nature of Keralites in not opening up to real issues and sorting out them continues to be a perennial problem in public affairs. It is controversies all the time.

The joke presently circulating among the industry people is that the producers interview directors before they decide to make a film. Their first question is whether the director is an important office bearer in State Chalachitra Academy. Why should they loose an award just because the director happens to be in academy?

Last week the film festival came to an end with a poll to find out the film liked most by the delegates. The total number of delegates was around 5000. Only 800 votes were polled and the film won prize money of one lakh rupees secured around only 290 votes. Easy money!

The organizers had not thought about the poll well. They should have stipulated a minimum number of votes for securing the viewers award.
Further it was alleged that delegate's cards were procured and other persons cast votes, which means the real voters were still low in numbers. The photos on the cards were overlooked. Indeed the God's own country has the most genuine ways on earth too!

In the last five years Malayalam cinema could contribute only a Dileep and Kunchako Boban. But it seems they may also join the bandwagon of superstars soon: stale!

Ranjith and Fazil have announced their ventures. Ranjith is ready for his next directorial venture and the Pooja was held in Calicut some time ago. Prithvi Raj, son of late Sukumaran, was selected for the key role. Sukumaran, a successful actor of the late seventies did a number of unforgettable characters, of artistic and commercial nature. Hope Prithvi does something worthwhile like his father.

Fazil who is considered as the most popular director is introducing his son Fahad in his new film. This is a teen-age love story that he is writing and directing. He is producing it also. Fazil always created a sort of history with each film he brought out right from Manjil Virinja Pookkal which gave Mohanlal to Malayalam screen. Let us wish Fahad and Prithvi a strong and successful presence in Malayalam cinema.