Ace director Priyadarshan faces `political` heat

Thiruvananthapuram: Well-known filmmaker Priyadarshan Tuesday drew flak for saying that the Malayalam film industry is in shambles and it doesn`t have any minister to manage it.

Priyadarshan made the statement at the annual state film award function, organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy and the filmmaker is the chairman of the body. Ever since K.B. Ganesh Kumar resigned as state minister for cinema on April 14 after his wife complained of domestic violence against him, the portfolio is now being looked after by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who was present at the event. "Who is Priyadarshan to make such a callous statement? That portfolio is being handled by the chief minister now and he says that the cinema department is rudderless. Priyadarshan should quit as chairman because he insulted the chief minister," Kerala government Chief Whip P.C. George told reporters. "It was good that I was not present at that meeting. Had I been there, he would have seen my true colours," he added. It is said that Priyadarshan and Ganesh Kumar are close friends and in his speech the filmmaker said that the film industry would be grateful if the chief minister will give them a minister like Ganesh, if not Ganesh himself. This remark has irked the politicians. K. Muraleedharan, former State Congress state president and son of K. Karunakaran, said the Congress-led United Democratic Front will decide on the ministership and not Priyadarshan. "I have told the state Congress president that before a decision is made, the Congress party and the Government coordination committee should meet. I have my opinion on that and I will speak about it there," Muraleedharan told reporters here Tuesday. IANS